Life As Ten
by DauntlessProdigy4Life
Summary: "Four and Six. Together. Always." Tris has finished initiation and is settling into her crazy hectic life as a Dauntless, complete with her best friends, adrenaline, excitement, and Tobias' love. When they are given positions as Dauntless leaders, they realize they have the power to completely change their world forever and eliminate Divergent hunts. But will they? Fluff/Adventure.
1. Dauntless

**A.N./So, hi! I'm DauntlessProdigy4Life! This is technically my first fanfiction: my other oneshot, World of Divergent was written after I wrote this first chapter, but I posted that first. I hope you like it! **

_**The war was avoided, and Tris is looking forward to her happily ever after to Tobias. Adrenaline. Fun. Love. Happiness. But when they're promoted to Dauntless leadership, they realize they've been given an opportunity to completely alter the faction system and eliminate Divergent hunts completely. Forever. But will they take it? Fun and a fluffy Dauntless life intertwined with changing the world as they know it.  
**_**  
Disclaimer: I do not own Divergent. Veronica Roth does. I do own a copy of Red by Taylor Swift. :D**

~Tris POV~

I'm first. Yells and cheers resound around the Pit, but I'm only focused on one person right now. A certain Tobias Eaton.

Wrapped around each other. Molded into the other's body. Tobias gives me that little warm smile that says so much yet exposes so little - his trademark grin. "You made it," he says.

"I did," I mumble - not really to encourage the conversation - more to just answer his statement. I'm more interested in looking at him - in memorizing that little crease below his eyes when he smiles and the little bits of stubble lining his tanned skin. He caresses my cheek - his eyes filled with love and happiness. I'm pretty sure I look like that too, but he looks handsome when he has that tender expression on his face. I probably look dopey. But for once, I don't care how I look. The warmth of his breath brushes my upper lip, his eyes startlingly blue with all the softness and tranquility of the ocean. He moves the slightest bit closer, and electricity shoots through my body like a bullet. I wonder if he can feel how fast my heart is racing. My hand moves without consent, tracing the lines of his face. Tobias. Tobias. He's all I can focus on - all I can see, live, and breathe. And then, after all those late night conversations and the talks and the warmth and the hesitant love, I can't wait anymore. Simultaneously, we pull each other closer, and our lips meet.

His lips are soft and warm, and his breath smells faintly of peppermint and has the faintest trace of espresso. I can't think, I can't do anything, the only thing that runs through my brain is that _I'm kissing Tobias._

_I am kissing Tobias._

And just like that it's over. There's a dead silence as everyone in the Pit stares, jaws dropped. The silence draws out for around ten seconds. I feel my cheeks flush scarlet as I take in shocked face after face. Wait. Shoot. Christina. I whirl around, a heartfelt apology making it's way to my lips.

"I'm so sorry Chr-"

"You never told us!" Christina shouts, the look on her face genuine surprise and shock. But she doesn't look angry. _Wait, what?_ I suppress a cheer, a smile creeping onto my face. She doesn't look angry. Phew. I don't think I could handle losing my best friend. I steal a look at the people surrounding us, expressions on their face varying from glares to smiles. "I'm sorry, Chris. But not here, okay? Later." I give her a small smile. _Sorry._

Christina bites her lip."After we pick our jobs, you're coming with me, okay?" She sighs, but can't keep up the facade of being angry for long. A small smile wiggles its way onto her face. She gives me a hug. "Tris, you just kissed FOUR!"

I allow myself a small grin of happiness. "I know." I look at Tobias. He gives a small nod, not wanting to be seen as weak. Ugh. Guys and their manliness. But he gives me a slight peck on the forehead anyway. I get into line, where Eric holds a thick sheaf of papers.

"Four, you picked this skinny little Stiff? Never thought it of you." Peter smirks and catches a single blonde hair in between his fingers, twirling it teasingly.

Tobias stops, and turns around to face Peter, scarily calm. "Did you just call her a skinny little Stiff?"

Peter, being the stupid idiot he is, confirms it. "I didn't call her one. She is one." This riles Tobias up even more, and he starts forward menacingly. I step in front of him though. He looks at me strangely. I bite my lip and whisper into his ear. "Tobias, I've got to do this. No one's going to respect me if I don't, even if I am first ranked." He sighs, and lets me pass. "Go, Tris. Do it."

"I am not a Stiff. I am Dauntless." Peter raises his eyebrows. "You? Not likely." He stares back lazily, almost daring me to do something.

_I'm Dauntless._

I draw back my fist and smash it directly into his face. When I pull back my arm, there's a small trickle of scarlet blood under his nose. "Are you sure about that?" I smirk, to add to the effect.

Christina and Will whoop and clap. "You go, girl!" Christina shouts, which makes Peter's face turns beet red with anger. He leans close and whispers in my ear, "Better watch your step. Wouldn't want your pretty little face to get hurt, now would we? Oh - never mind. You don't have one." He pulls away and gets in line, still fuming.

"All right, Tris - because you ranked first, you get any pick of any job you want. What job would you like?" Eric says, sounding bored.

"I want to train transfer initiates," I decide. It's what everyone's expecting me to choose. But I want to do it. Eric looks up, a mix of surprise and relief on his face. _Did he think I would choose leader?_ "Well, that's only a part time job, so pick another one too."

"I'll be the ambassador to factions. There's no other one, right?"

"Nope." Eric nods and holds out a small metal key.

"Apartment 16A," he says. I step aside, watching everyone else choose jobs. Uriah wants to train the Dauntless born and work in the control room the rest of the year. Lynn chooses to guard the fence. Peter decides to be a gladiator and fight people for entertainment. Next, Marlene grins and says "I want to be a Dauntless nurse!" I smile to myself. That job is perfect for her. I would probably suck at it. As in, making people even more bloody than they were when they came in. I mentally wince at that image. Ew.

Christina decides on helping Uriah train Dauntless born and work in the Dauntless clothing store in her spare time. She turns to Will sadly, her expression serious. "I'm sorry," she whispers. Will's number seven. He's going to the fence.

Suddenly, Eric looks up and scans the room.

"Will, pick a job. Lynn wants to guard the fence - we need one more initiate to stay in the Dauntless compound," he says. Will looks up in shock. "I want to work in the control room with Uriah," he says slowly, as if he can't quite believe it. Christina shrieks with joy and runs to him, an expression of pure joy on her face. He picks her up and twirls her around in ecstasy.

"All right, you remaining three Dauntless born will guard the fence," Eric says, as he picks up his papers and leaves quickly.

Tobias looks over at me, a huge smile plastered on his face. He grabs my hand and pulls me close. "There's a party tonight to celebrate your entry into Dauntless!" He sets me down and picks at his shirt, unraveling a few loose threads. "And also... I've, well, been thinking..."

"What?"

"Doyouwanttomovein?"

"WHAT?"

"Do you want to, you know, move into my apartment?"

My face breaks out in a grin, but I pretend as if I'm thinking hard.

"This is a really hard decision, considering I kinda live there already," I say, laughing. Tobias' eyes light up and he softly touches his lips to mine. I feel a rush of sudden warmth run through me, and I twine my arms around his neck, sinking into the kiss. Suddenly, a shout of "GET A ROOM!" breaks us apart. I turn to see Uriah and Marlene right next to us. Uriah shakes his head, grinning.

"That is so cliché, but... well, we kinda already have," I smirk, looking at Tobias. Christina dashes up, snatches my keys, and pulls me away. "We have GOT to talk about this! Come with me, no exceptions!" Marlene follows and I am pulled into my new apartment on the tenth floor. There's a floor to ceiling glass window straight ahead, letting in sunlight. A fluffy bed with black covers is in the corner, and a mini kitchen to my right. Christina locks the door behind me, and grins. "Now, Tris, PLEASE be girly JUST this once. When did this happen?"

"A couple days before initiation ended," I answer. "We didn't publicize it before because Four didn't want it to affect my ranking."

"Aww!" Marlene sighs. "That's so cute!"

"Yeah, I guess." I say, a bit uncomfortable. "Anyway, what's going on with you and Uriah?" I do my best to redirect the subject, and thankfully, they pick up on it.

"Me and Uriah?" Marlene asks, blushing. "Oh, umm, nothing."

"Come on!" Christina urges, leaning forward. "You guys should totally get together! Trust me and my relationship advice. You guys are perfect!"

Marlene seems to have cheered up as she gives us a small smile. "You really think so?"

"Yeah." I chime in.

"Wow, thanks." She grins.

"So, you guys coming to the party tonight?" It was an innocent question that released the volcano. Oops.

"OH MY GOD!" Marlene shoots up with a yell, her expression one of pure shock. Christina mirrors her excitement and continues. "THERE'S A PARTY TONIGHT! Tris, will you come shopping with me and Marly?"

"Shopping?" I ask, utterly confused.

"Tris. It's a party."

"So?"

"Oh right, you've never been to a party before, have you?"

"I've been to one before!" I say, defensively. Christina smirks. "Was it an Abnegation party? Sitting around the table and stuff?"

"N-Yes," I sigh. She smiles. "Please, come with us? I really think you'll love it."

I sigh. "Why did I ever bring it up?"

"Come on, Tris. You'll look great!"

"But I'm serious - I can't be beautiful! You'll waste all this time on me and I don't deserve it."

"Maybe not, if that's your opinion. But we've got a different one. You've got to think positive. You really are beautiful, you know. Please, come on! Please please please please please please please-"

I laugh, rolling my eyes. "Okay."

~3 hours later~

"Aren't we done yet?" I complain. Christina turns around. "Tris, we just stopped for lunch. We still need to get to dresses! And, of course, makeup." She grins happily. I swear, Chris has to be a monster in disguise.

Marlene chimes in, "Come on, Tris, just think how AMAZING you'll look after all this!"

"Not you too!"

We turn into another store, and Chris pulls me toward the dress section. After a long time of trying on dresses, and an equally big pile of rejections, I walk out, modeling a black dress. The tag says it's a sleeveless scalloped shift dress, so I assume that's what it is. It's actually surprisingly nice, compared to some of the others Chris forced me into. It's comfortable, beautiful, and the lower part of the dress is covered in clear jewels. It stops just above my knee: a little high for my liking, but I'm willing to overlook that. A lovely leather belt winds around the middle; black and deep red intertwined together. It's beautiful. It's probably the most expensive thing I've ever worn, too.

"Tris, I think we found your dress." Marlene stares at me. Christina turns around and stares at me too. "Perfect!"

I sigh. "Chris, It's probably really expensive."

"Listen, Tris. Remember I work in the mall now? Well technically," she amends her sentence. "This isn't the mall. But I get a discount in stores. Please buy that. It's seriously amazing on you."

I smile. I actually surprisingly like this dress. "Okay." Chris hands me a pair of simple red heels with straps winding up my legs. "Go change and try these on." She glares at me and her voice is commanding, leaving no room for argument. I sigh. The monster is back.

Later, after we buy lipstick, lip liner, mascara, eyeliner, eyeshadow, foundation, moisturizer, blush, bronzer, and many other scary looking items that I have no name for, we go back to my apartment so we can all (mostly Christina and Marlene) give ourselves an makeover. "We'll start with you, Tris," Christina says. "I'll do your dress and makeup. Marlene, hair. Let's go!"

Finally, I am allowed to look in the mirror. I'm almost afraid to look. "Do I look bad?" I ask hesitantly.

"Just look," Christina says, smiling happily. I turn.

A girl in her late teens looks back at me, a small smile on her face. She wears the black dress and red heels I wore earlier. Her look is simple, yet she radiates a sense of elegance and beauty. Her makeup is natural, and her eyes are a stormy bluish-gray, enhanced by the soft brushes of white eyeshadow applied onto her eyelid. Her hair is pulled up in a casual bun, a few tendrils hanging down to frame her face. And I can't believe that girl is me.

"Chris... Marly..."

"You look amazing, Tris." Christina says, smiling happily. "Love you."

"Love you too, Chris. You too, Marly. Thank you guys."

A knock on the door resounds through the apartment.

"That's probably Four. I think we should go." Christina says. I thank them one more time.

"See you at the party!" Marlene says, and they both leave, carrying their dresses and bags with them. Immediately, Tobias comes in, wearing a black leather jacket, a skin tight black t-shirt, dark jeans, and simple black converse. I stare. I don't want to, but I stare.

"Like the view?" He laughs. "Didn't think it would be safe to come in while they were w... w... wow Tris. You... um... look amazing." He looks embarrassed and his face flushes a light pink.

"Let's go," I smile. Oh, I love him so much.

"Yes, ma'am."

**A.N./ I hope you liked it! :D Please review - I would really like to see what you think. Thanks for reading! See you soon!**

~DauntlessProdigy4Life


	2. Initation Party

**A.N./ Hey guys, so here's the second chapter! Thank you for the reviews. I'm glad you liked it! Oh and just saying - the party is at Zeke/Uriah's apartment, I forgot to mention that.**

**Disclaimer: As much as I wish I did, Veronica Roth owns Divergent, not me. :P**

Stepping into Uriah and Zeke's apartment is like stepping into an alternate universe. The strong smell of beer hits me like a brick wall and I stumble back into Tobias. "Hey. You okay?" He asks, looking concerned.

"Yeah," I nod, cupping a hand over my nose. "Fine."

I can hear shouts of "What up, Four!" and "Hey, Six!". We smile at each other. Looks like my new new nickname is catching on.

Tobias grabs a beer from an ice chest and hands me a Coke. I take it and laugh. "You know me so well." He gives me a small smiles and looks down at his beer, before exchanging it for a Coke like mine. "Now we're twinning! And, of course I do. I'm your boyfriend, Tris."

A wave of apprehension runs over me. I feel a rollercoaster of emotions. Fear. Confusion. No, it's not fear anymore. Since I got over my sixth fear, I don't... can't feel fear anymore. I look at Tobias, who's cocking his head in confusion. "Wait... we never made it official, right?"

I nod in confusion.

He grins and gets down on his knee. "Will you, Tris I-don't-know-your-middle-name Prior, do me the most wonderful honor of becoming my girlfriend?"

I sigh. "You know I will."

"Thank you. You were killing me there." He jumps up and looks at me, a hint of a smile on his face. "I... I really like you, Tris." He moves the slightest bit closer. Electricity shoots through my body. He takes another slow step. His eyes seem to capture my very soul, filled with emotion and desire and passion and... love. My heart is pounding so hard it almost hurts, and I wipe my palms on my dress. He smiles, and just as I am about to pull him forward myself, his lips capture mine.

It's not like our first kiss. It's softer. Sweeter. More... loving. His lips are soft but slightly chapped. I lose myself in Tobias' minty smell with hints of a coffee or espresso. And just like that, the kiss is over.

I stare at him, panting, not sure where to begin, not sure what to say. When we're interrupted by a shout.

"HEY GUYS!" Uriah stumbles up, completely drunk and loose. I back away. I don't like this version of him. The wild look in his eyes. Hair askew. There's a bright red stain on his shirt and a hot pink lipstick mark on his cheek. He staggers up to me and lets out a loud belch. "This is so epic! By the way, Tris. You look good tonight."

I don't know how to respond. But suddenly I feel Tobias' muscles tensing behind me. He goes into "Four" mode.

"Did you just say my girlfriend looks good?" The apartment has gone deathly quiet and everyone is staring. There's a short pause before Uriah tries to backtrack his mistake.

"Oh - oh no I just meant that she's pretty. And... um... I didn't know she was your girlfriend..."

Four clenches his fists and I give Uriah a glare before turning around and whispering "It's fine, Tobias. Let it go. Please."

"Fine. Uriah, if I ever catch you doing that again, you don't want to know what will happen."

"Okay, sure!" Uriah says, a little too brightly. A tense silence settles over the room, and Zeke, in an effort to get the party back, turns up the music. In no time, the place is how it was 2 minutes ago.

I lead Tobias into a corner. "What was that all about?" I demand. "No matter how drunk he is, he's still my friend."

"I'm sorry Tris, okay? It's just... well... I don't want to share you with anyone. I want you to be mine." He runs a hand through his hair, frustrated. "That didn't come out right. I just.. I felt jealous, okay?" He bursts out, then looks at the ground. I take his hand.

"Hey," I whisper. "It's all right. You're still my boyfriend." He looks up and smiles. "Thank you, Tris." Tobias kisses me, and all my anger melts into my shoes.

I smile. "It's all right. Now let's go have a good time! It is my initiation party after all!"

We walk out and start dancing to the music. Suddenly, Zeke gets up on a chair and yells. "TRIS, FOUR, MARLENE, URIAH, CHRISTINA, WILL, SHAUNA! IF I CALLED YOUR NAME, THEN GET UP HERE TO THE ROOF RIGHT NOW!"

Tobias and I follow Zeke to the rooftop, which is decked with lanterns and has no border or fence. It's a fifty foot drop straight down the Pit. Well, it seems Dauntless enough.

"Okay guys, we're going to play Candor and Dauntless now. You know the rules," Zeke says once everyone is up here.

"HEY, that's not fair! We're only wearing dresses!" Marlene crosses her arms as she looks pointedly at Zeke.

"Fine, fine..." Zeke holds his hands up in defeat. "Meet back here in five, okay?"

I hug Tobias and whisper, "be right back." Then I run to my apartment. I change into a pair of black skinny jeans and black converse, and then put on a black tank top and a leather jacket on top, and leave my hair and makeup how it was. I sprint back to the rooftop, to see that I am the last to come back.

"All right, Four. Candor or Dauntless?"

"Dauntless," Tobias replies, smirking.

"I dare you to go out into the Pit and propose to the first person you see. And make it good." Tobias walks out of the room and into the Pit followed by me, Zeke, and Christina, and we immediately see Eric.

"Eric, I have loved you for a long time. You are my stars and my moon. Will you marry me?" Tobias asks sweetly.

"FOUR! ARE YOU DRUNK? You know I'll hold this over your head later," He grins. He walks away, eyeing us suspiciously, as we all break out in laughter.

We go back to the apartment, and Tobias looks at Marlene. "Shauna, Candor or Dauntless?"

"Dauntless," she says. Suddenly, I have an idea. I lean over to Tobias and whisper something. He nods and says, "I dare you to sit on Zeke's lap for the rest of the game." Shauna smiles and sits on Zeke's lap. He hugs her, and they both smile then.

Shauna says, "Zeke, Candor or Dauntless?"

"Dauntless! I'm no pansycake!"

"Let's see about this. I dare you to jump off this roof."

Zeke pulls off his shirt as he raises his eyebrows at Shauna.

"Pansycake." Shauna laughs.

"What? I might DIE okay?"

Zeke shakes his head and then turns on me. "Tris, Candor or Dauntless?"

"Candor," I say cautiously. It would be almost as good suicide if I let Zeke dare me to something.

"What was your old name?"

"Beatrice. But NEVER call me that."

"Okay, Beatrice."

"ZEKE!"

"Okay, okay fine."

"I think we should go now before Tris punches you, Zeke. Maybe we'll play again later." Tobias says, and I nod in agreement as we leave the party, waving. We go to his apartment and get in bed. I snuggle into Tobias, already warming up. "I love you, Six," Tobias says, burying his face in my hair. "And I love you, Four," I return. He hugs me, and we go to sleep.

**A.N./ I hope you guys liked it! :) Next chapter will probably be up soon.**


	3. New Initiates

**Thank you for the reviews! Next chapter will be up soon. **

**Disclaimer: Do I own Divergent? The answer is a resounding NO.**

(11_ months later - next initiation)_

"Tris."

"Go away."

"Trissyyyyyyyyyy."

"Stop it!"

"Triiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiis wake uppppppppppppppp."  
"No please?" I stuff my pillow over my head.

"Tris, you don't want to be late for the initiates today!"

I open my eyes to find Tobias' deep blue ones only an inch from mine. "AAH!" I yell, scrambling away before bursting into laughter.

Tobias smiles and says, "The initiates are coming today. Oh, and I got you breakfast!" He holds out a chocolate muffin and an omelet on a plate. I nibble a bit of the warm muffin, inhaling the chocolatey fragrance. "Mmm, good." I nibble another bit.

He grins. "Great. So, why don't I go meet the initiates, and then I'll meet you back here for dinner? I'm guessing you'll be done with your muffin by then."

"Tobias!" I throw the muffin at him, and he catches it with perfect accuracy. "See you at the net," he laughs.

I wave, and then duck into bathroom to shower and get ready. I change into a pair of ripped black skinny jeans, a pair of black flats Chris bought me, a tank top, and a black leather jacket. I pull my hair up in a ponytail and add some eyeliner. Finally, I look in the mirror. Hair? Check. Makeup? Check. Scary Six look? Umm...

I fiddle with my outfit, trying to make myself look slightly more intimidating. I'll get nowhere with the initiates if I meet them looking like Hello Kitty.

Finally, I just add some mascara and sigh, resigning myself to a lifetime of being short and thin. The furthest from intimidating you could possibly get. Yay for me.

I head out, remembering to grab my muffin from the bed where Tobias left it.

I check my watch. The initiates should be coming in any minute now! I sprint down the halls, dodging Dauntless and finally make it to the net next to Tobias. He grins at me and says, "The initiates are jumping off the train now. They'll be here soon." I swallow hard, remembering my own initiation, and the girl that fell on the ground below, her hair fanned out and limbs at odd angles.

"Hey guys!" I see Christina as she bounces over. "Wanna bet on who's gonna jump first? I bet it'll be a Candor."

"Nope, a Dauntless born for sure." Uriah comes over and neatly plucks my muffin out of my hand and takes a bite. "Hey!" I protest, snatching it back. "Mmfgh! You weren't eating it!" Uriah says, as he swallows.

Tobias laughs. "I think it'll be an Erudite," he says. "Wanna bet?"

I smile. "Sure - I think we're about to find out."

Suddenly, I hear shouts of "They're coming!". I hear a scream of elation and a small girl in Erudite blue lands in the net. She hooks her fingers in it and looks up, laughing. Tobias goes into "Four" mode, and beckons to her. "Come on, what's your name?" She hesitates, looking around.

"Think about it, you don't get to pick again," I say, smiling slightly. Ahh... The memories. Tobias looks at me with a slight frown. "Tri... er - Six! That was my line!" I smile. "Oops."

The girl interrupts. "Holly." She nods at us and hops off the net. Tobias grasps her hand and holds it up. "First jumper, Holly!" Roars of applause can be heard from the crowd of Dauntless surrounding the net.

I nod at her, going into "Six" mode. "Welcome to Dauntless."

**. . .**

Overall, it looks like we have 9 transfers and 10 Dauntless born, apparently a little less than the normal amount of initiates.

I whisper to Tobias, "Looks like there's no Abnegation this year." He smiles. "Well, you and I are the exception, right?" I laugh and he ruffles my hair as we turn to the initiates.

I run my eyes over them, doing a quick mental scan of each.

_**Candor: 3 transfers:**_

_1\. David - Close cropped black hair, a sly expression and black eyes._

_2\. Liam - Light brown hair and light blue eyes. Like a mini Tobias, but with lighter eyes._

_3\. Rita - A weak looking girl with black hair and brown eyes. I can tell she's going to be cut._

_**Erudite: 4 transfers:**_

_1\. Holly - First jumper. A girl with tanned skin and brown eyes. She looks determined, and I wonder what's going to happen with her in the fighting stage._

_2\. Alex - Handsome with dark hair and startlingly green eyes. Looks strong, probably won't give up._

_3\. Britney - Blonde hair and light green eyes. She smiles at Tobias and completely ignores me. I instantly hate her._

_4\. Claire - Light brown hair and same green eyes. Looks to be best friends with Britney and copies her every move. She doesn't look too strong though..._

_**Amity: 2 transfers:**_

_1\. Bryan - A strong boy with windswept black hair and black eyes. Looks like he and Alex are making friends. Wonder how he got that strong in Amity..._

_2\. Isaac - Light brown hair and dark eyes. Doesn't look too strong, probably will be cut._

I look over at Tobias. He gives me an encouraging nod, and together, we stand up.

"All right! Be quiet or be factionless!" I yell, and instantly the place is quiet. Tobias continues with the same lines that he had given last year. "All right, Dauntless born, follow Christina and Uriah. Assuming you don't need a tour of the place." The Dauntless born leave, chattering, and the transfers stay quiet as they look up at us slightly nervously.

"All right, I'm Six, and this is Four."

"Numbers? Clever names," a Candor says snarkily. Britney... (she was Britney, right?) snickers along with him. The Candor... I think his name was David.

I cross my arms and walk up to him in an intimidating way. At least I hope it was intimidating. When I speak, my voice is deathly quiet. "If I wanted to put up with Candor smart mouths, I would have joined their faction, stupid. Now shut it." He nods meekly, and I can hear outbreaks of snickers behind me. Yes! Point for Tris! I walk back next to Tobias, and let him continue.

He goes on. "Now we'll be taking you all to the Pit." Luckily, no one comments this time, and we lead the way to the Pit. We show the initiates around, pointing out the tattoo parlors, stores and social areas, and then take them to the Chasm.

"The Chasm represents the fine line between bravery and idiocy!" I yell above the roar of the rushing water. "A fall in will end your life." I see the initiates move back, and their expressions vary. Some look shocked, some excited, some just plain scared. The Abnegation in me feels a little sorry for for Rita, who shirks back when drops of water fly onto her face. "Should we go get lunch now?" I whisper to Tobias.

"Fine by me," he answers as he smiles at me warmly.

* * *

As we enter the cafeteria filled with shouts, screams, and... well, Dauntless, I can see some of the initiates shying back from being in from of the huge crowd. The Dauntless whoop and cheer the initiates on, banging their cups on the table, and our initiates walk in shakily with new confidence. Tris and I sit down with Christina and Uriah after grabbing a plate each.

"Having fun?" Uriah said smugly.

"It's wonderful," I groan as I take a bite of my hamburger. "How did you ever put up with this?" I ask Tobias, as he laughs and kisses my forehead. "You were there, Tris, remember?"

"Hey guys, I think a couple of your initiates are coming over." I turn around, and see Britney and Claire walking over with smiles plastered on their faces. Barbie - I mean Britney - makes a beeline for where we're sitting, Claire trailing behind her awkwardly. They pass me and stop at Tobias, who looks up indifferently. "Yes?" Britney turns to face him, running one of her hands through her hair with a plastic smile.

"Hey Four, so... we were wondering if you would like to come over and sit with-" Britney begins and Tobias immediately cuts her off. "No."

Britney looks crushed, and her eyes grow hard and angry. "What?"

"Perhaps you didn't hear me? No."

"But... We'd just like to get to know you better. You're our instructor, after all."

"Why do I get the feeling that's not all you want?" I ask, trying to hide the laugh bubbling inside me.

Britney takes a deep, calming breath. "But, you don't have a girlfriend! We're not trying to do anything."

At this, I have to interject. "Britney, right?"

She nods, fists clenched. She can tell I'm messing with her.

"Allow me to introduce myself. I'm Six. Your other instructor, ambassador to the factions, and... Four's girlfriend."

Tobias laughs and turns around and kisses me. Once he lets go, we both smile easily at Britney and she stamps her foot down. "I'll get you back for this!" She shrieks at me, and stomps away back to her table. Claire follows her back uncertainly, casting an apologetic smile at me, and Tobias and I hug each other, revelling in the fact that we love each other and nobody can destroy that.

Christina follows the girl back with her eyes, watching her every move. "Who wants to bet that she was dropped on her head as a baby?" Chris mutters, shaking her head. We break into laughter - just the humor of the whole situation overwhelming us all. We finish our meal in peace, chatting and just having fun.

Tobias entwines his hand with mine with a smile. "Want to go back to your apartment?" He asks. "Sure," I reply, and we walk out, hand in hand.

**This is the part that's always cliche in a fluffy fanfic ;) But I wanted to do a fluffy fanfic, so I still hope you guys like it. Remember to review and I'll see you soon!**

**~DauntlessProdigy4Life**


	4. Knife Day

**Hey guys - I'm back :) Sorry, it's not as long as the others this time, but still, hope you like it! **

**Side Note: I'm not sure how long I can keep this daily posting thing going, but I'll try and keep it going. The longest I'll go without posting will probably be 2-3 days. Anyway, thanks so much for supporting me!**

**Disclaimer: Veronica Roth owns Divergent, not me. :)**

_**Tris POV**_

I wake up curled next to Tobias under the black comforter.

"Morning, beautiful," he says, smiling.

"I think you must have been talking to someone else," I laugh, and immediately he puts a finger to my lips. "Never say that, Tris. You're stunning. You're beautiful, and I love you more than anything else in the world." He kisses me and wraps his arms around my body. We lie there, in no rush to begin the day. Sunlight filters in through the glass window and lights up the large room.

Tobias yawns. "Think we should just call in sick today and lie here for the rest of the day?"

"I bet Britney will be extremely disappointed if she finds that you're not there," I smirk, and he groans. "Guess we better get up now."

He throws off the comforter and stands up. I stare at him until he pulls on a shirt. I can't help it, even though we've been dating for a year now. Luckily, he didn't notice, and suddenly his eyes light up.

"I CALL BATHROOM FIRST!" He yells, and races in like a two year old, beating me to the door. "Aww, let me in, Tobias. Pretty please?" I ask sweetly.

"Nope - but why don't you go get us breakfast, Trissy?" He calls back, and I can hear laughter in his voice.

"Ugg, fine!" I groan and pull on a short black skirt, comfortable for today's knife throwing and gun exercises. I pair it with short black combat boots, a tank top and a black leather jacket, and black fingerless gloves.

"I'm leaving!" I call to Tobias, and I only hear a grunt as I walk out the door, smiling. As I near the cafeteria, I hear the sound of arguing voices.

"Stop it, Claire! He is MINE! And don't say anything different!" I see Britney and Claire standing outside the cafeteria, talking loudly about Tobias, I assume.

"Having fun?" I give them a sweet smile before ducking into the cafeteria, which only half full now. Looks like Christina, Uriah, Marlene, Zeke, and the rest of our group aren't here yet. I grab 2 blueberry muffins and an omelet, before walking out again. Britney and Claire are still there. Britney eyes the fact that I got two muffins, and gives me a harsh glare, while Claire offers a weak smile.

I nod at them and say, "Be at the training room at 7. Don't be late." I walk off back to the apartment, whistling and thinking about training today.

Once I reach the apartment, I find Tobias sitting on the bed, fully dressed in sneakers, black jeans, and a leather jacket. "Hey Trissy," he greets me, smiling. I throw a muffin at him. "Here you go, and don't call me that."

"Okay Trissy! Come on, we have to leave now if we'll be at the training room in time."

We leave the apartment and walk hand in hand to the training room. By that time, it's 6:53, and the only initiates there so far are Holly and Liam. They're chatting with each other and laughing, and when we walk in, Holly looks up and smiles. "Hey Four, Six!"

"Hey," I respond, as Tobias acknowledges them with a nod. We walk over to the table littered with throwing knives, and chat idly together as initiates begin to filter in.

"Are you going to throw knives at me this time?" I ask, smiling up up Tobias.

"Maybe," he smiles. "Oh, I think we'd better get going, it's 7:00."

We walk up to the center of the room in front of the targets, and scan the place.

"All right, Dauntless born, go to the opposite side of the room and train with Christina and Uriah. Transfers, stay here." Four waits till the Dauntless born leave, then nods at me. "Six, tell them about the rankings."

"All right, there are three stages of Dauntless initiation. The first one is primarily physical, the second one primarily emotional, and the third is primarily mental. Initiates will be cut at the end of each stage. Finally, after initiation ends, the top ten ranking initiates, a mix of Dauntless born and transfers, will be made Dauntless members," I say with an air of indifference. I can hear gasps and see clenching of fists. Holly looks the same as before, if not more confident. I can tell she's determined to get in.

_**Tobias POV**_

I take over. "Today, we'll start the physical stage, by focusing on knife throwing and guns. Six, if you would please walk to the target." Tris grins and walks to the target. She settles herself against it and stares straight at me, no fear in her clear blue eyes.

"Watch and learn," we say at the same time to the initiates, who are staring at us open mouthed. I pick up 3 knives and tuck 2 into my belt, as I aim the third one. I draw back my arm. _Aim. Inhale. Exhale. Throw. _It lands right above Tris' left ear, and she doesn't even blink as she grins. One more time. _Aim. Inhale. Exhale. Throw. _This one lands right above Tris' head, pinning a bit of flyaway blonde hair to the target board.

The last time. I suddenly have a flashback of last year, of Tris unafraid and angry, staring at me while I threw knives at her. _I love her so much._

_Aim. Inhale. Exhale. Throw._ The knife flies towards Tris and lands right next to her left ear, nicking it and drawing a bit of scarlet red blood. Instantly, we start laughing at the same time while all the initiates look horrified.

"You just bled her!" Alex splutters, his eyes wide. "What's wrong with you guys?"

In response to this, we just laugh harder, before Tris speaks up. "It's... it's just like last year. This stupid instructor named Eric made Four throw knives at me, and Four nicked my ear a little bit last time. This time too." We stop laughing and smile at each other, and I notice that Britney is staring daggers at Tris. _Oh well, who cares what that little misery thinks, my life is perfect._

"Anyway, get throwing!" I yell, and all the initiates immediately scramble for knives. I examine each one in turn, walking up to straighten a posture occasionally. Bryan is the first one to hit the board, and it sticks on impact. Tris congratulates him, and he grins and keeps throwing. By the end of the session, all initiates have hit the board, except for Rita and Isaac. _They're not going to make it if they continue like this._

"Lunch break!" I call. "But only if you've hit the board." All the initiates filter slowly out except for Rita and Isaac. Finally, Isaac manages to hit the board, and almost crying with relief, runs out of the room. Rita is the only one left, and, no matter how hard she throws, she cannot hit the target.

"You're going to be factionless soon if you continue like this," I say, with no empathy in my voice. Rita has tears in her eyes, and she puts down the knife and runs out of the room crying. We stare after her, and Tris wraps me in a hug. "She chose wrong." I nod tiredly. "Yup."

We walk out of the training room.

**I hope you liked it! :D :D Please review, and tell me what you think, because that would make me really happy to see you guys' thoughts. Do you like it? Or not? Thanks! See ya later!**

**-DauntlessProdigy4Life**


	5. Love Inked In

**A.N./ All right, I am SO sorry I didn't update yesterday! I had basketball till really late, and I was extremely sleepy when I got home, and I didn't feel like writing. I know, horrible right! :) Anyway, here you go, and thanks for reading! I made it a little longer this time.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Divergent. Veronica Roth does. :D**

_**Tobias POV**_

I yawn as we walk out of the training room, and Tris rests her head on my shoulder. "Tobias?" she asks, and I smile. _I love the way she says my name. _It rolls off her tongue, and makes me feel like there's someone who loves me, who I trust, and that I have a reason to live, to be Dauntless.

"Yes?"

"Can we go back to our apartment and skip lunch?" Tris looks up with pleading eyes, and I laugh. "But I'm hungry!"

"We can pick something up! Pretty please?"

"Fine," I groan. "Let's go pick something up and then go back to the apartment."

Her face lights up, and she hugs me. "Yes!" I dash into the cafeteria while Tris waits outside, and I quickly pick up a salad, 2 hamburgers, and a couple Cokes. I go back outside, and Tris smiles at me.

"Finally. Let's go." By this time, it's 12:37, and seeing that lunch ends at 2:00, we relax and walk slowly.

When we finally get to the apartment, Tris locks the door and we get in bed next to each other. The apartment is flooded with bright sunlight, and I close my eyes, feeling Tris next to me and my body warming up.

_**Tris POV**_

The time slips through our fingertips, and pretty soon, it's 1:47, and nearing the time when we have to get up. Tobias is asleep with his head on my shoulder, his hair glinting bronze in the sunlight. I kiss his neck softly, and smile as he says my name. "Tris?"

I grin and say, "Tobias, we have to get up now. Initiates!"

"Aww Trissy, just five more minutes," he mumbles as he wraps his arms around me and pulls me below the blanket.

Trying to stop my laughter, I slowly wriggle out of his arms and make it out of bed, where I fix my hair up and straighten my clothes. Tobias rolls out of bed, his hair messy and carefree.

"All right Four, shall we leave now?" I ask.

"I would be honored, Six."

We race each other to the training room, occasionally knocking over some people and yelling back, "Sorry!" as we continue sprinting. I see the door and sprint even harder, and my hand touches the door as I fly past just a millisecond in front of Tobias.

"I WIN!" I yell, seeing that none of the initiates are here yet. Tobias comes to a halt, panting. "Are you sure?" I stare around the plain gray room, and realize that I don't recognize it. There are two Dauntless sitting at a table in black uniforms, staring at us in surprise.

Tobias mumbles, "Um, we're sorry." We back out of the room and I quietly close the door and look for Tobias. I see him disappearing into the training room with a whoop.

"Look who won now, huh?" He laughs and I give him a fake glare.

The only initiates here so far are Dauntless born, and they pay no attention to us as we start setting out guns. Finally, people begin to filter in, and by 2:00, everyone is here. Christina and Uriah come in and nod at us.

"All right!" I yell, to get everyone's attention. "We'll be working on guns this afternoon till 6. After that, you're free. Have fun. Anyway, Dauntless born, you know the drill." They nod and go to the other side of the room, where Christina and Uriah are waiting for them.

"All right, everyone get a gun!"

The initiates each grab one in turn, and some look completely terrified with the idea of holding one, particularly Isaac. His hands are shaking so badly that the gun looks like it'll fall at any moment. Others look completely at ease, like Alex, Bryan, and Holly.

Tobias speaks up. "We'll show you how to fire a gun now. Watch closely." He and I both pick up a gun, and we aim for the same target. We go through fluid motions as we each squint an eye, aim, and shoot. The impact rings throughout the silent room, and the initiates crane their neck to see where our bullets landed. There's a round of gasps as they see 2 bullet holes side by side in the center of the same target. The initiates stare with awed expressions, as they struggle to lift up the gun and shoot.

Bullets land everywhere around the walls, and inwardly - I sigh, while going to go correct positions and footwork occasionally.

The evening flies by, and pretty soon, it's 6:00. We dismiss the initiates and walk out with Christina and Uriah.

"Man, this is work." Uriah slaps his hand against his forehead and sticks his tongue out.

Tobias shakes his head with a grin. "Imagine what is was like for me with you three in the same initiation class!" Christina shakes her head and acts like a teacher. "Now, now, Four, mustn't be naughty!"

We all burst out laughing at the half annoyed, half amused expression on Tobias' face before we all part ways.

"Hey guys, remember the big party after initiation ends. It's gonna be EPIC!"

"We'll be there," I confirm, nodding at Tobias. "The initiation parties are always the best! Is it gonna be the usual? Candor and Dauntless, Never have I ever?"

"Yeah," Uriah says, laughing. "And a surprise! Can't tell you yet though."

"Kay, sure. WAIT. Tris, do you want a makeover for it?" Christina squeals excitedly, her face in an expression of pure heaven.

"Oh, sure, why not?" I say boldly, feeling brave enough to let her try it. After all, she is an expert on clothes, right?

"YES!" she says, and immediately whips out her phone and starts texting someone. "This is going to be SO cool!"

I nod slowly, already starting to slightly regret my decision. Tobias wraps his arms around me and waves at them. "We have to go now. But anyway, see you later!"

They smile at us and leave, Christina still hooked onto her phone.

"So, what do you want to do this evening?" I smile at Tobias and he looks down at me shyly.

"I was thinking, well, do you want a tattoo?"

"A tattoo?" I say, confused. _What's the point in that?_

"It's, well, a design I thought of. A small one on both our wrists that signify us being together. It's okay if you don't want to, it's fine - just an idea I had -"

"Tobias," I say gently. "I would love to."

He grins and kisses me, before we race off to the tattoo parlor. As we step inside the dim room, I see a short man inking a golden lion into a Dauntless' member's arm. He nods at us and says, "Tori's in the back. She'll help you."

We walk through the room filled with paintings, dodging things scattered over the floor, and finally reach the curtain drawn across the back of the store. I peek inside, and see Tori sitting on a chair, working on something. "Come in," she smiles, and we hesitantly step inside.

"So, we were thinking, could we get matching tattoos of something we thought of?" Tobias starts off.

"Sure," Tori says. "Just a concern, you guys are sure about this, right? It's a permanent thing, you know."

I smile at Tobias, and we say at the same time: "Absolutely."

"All right. So, is this design one of ours, or something you were thinking of?"

"It's something T... Four came up with. Would you be okay with drawing it?"

"Yeah - give me a description of what you want it to look like, and I'll try and get it right."

Tobias whispers something in Tori's ear, and she nods and starts sketching a rough drawing out on a piece of paper. It takes a few minutes, but finally she smiles and nods. "I'm done. Is this what you wanted it to look like?"

Tobias nods. "Exactly."

"Okay good. I'll go set out the supplies, and I'll be back in a minute. In the meantime, would you like to show Tris the drawing?"

Tori walks out, and I look expectantly at Tobias. He smiles hesitantly, and shows the drawing to me. I look at it, and slowly a smile begins to creep on my face. It's a Ferris wheel glinting in the sunset, with an elaborate _4 + 6_ written in the middle. I look up at Tobias. "Do you like it?" he asks a little nervously. I shake my head. "No, I don't." His face falls, and he looks at the ground and scuffles his feet. A big smile appears on my face, and I throw my arms around him. "Tobias, I LOVE IT!"

**. . .**

4 hours later, we're sitting next to each other on the bed, almost ready to take the bandages off our wrists.

"You ready?" Tobias asks, and I nod.

We slowly peel the sterile white bandages off, and look at our new, matching tattoos. As I smile at it, I realize something. It may seem like just a tattoo, but to me it's much more. It's a lasting bond of our love. So now it's official. Now we really can be 4 and 6. Forever.

**I hope you like it! :) Please review so I can see what you think. Bye! Until next time.**

**-DauntlessProdigy4Life**


	6. Fights

**Hey guys, so this chapter is when the fights start, I skipped the day where they work on punches, kicks, fighting techniques, etc. So anyway, hope you like it! Sorry, it's not too long this time, but I hope you like it :)**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Divergent. :P**

_Tris POV_

"So, you coming ziplining, Four?" Uriah asks, devouring his slice of chocolatey Dauntless cake.

"Nahh, I got some stuff to do in the control room and Eric wants me to go to Erudite for some reason," Tobias replies as he slides his arm around my waist. I squeeze his hand reassuringly, and he smiles.

"I'm coming, though," I say, fingering my hamburger, and Uriah immediately cheers up. "Great!"

Zeke nods at me. "I bet Uriah's gonna sound like a dying duck again when he goes, just like last time."

"I do not!" Uriah protests. "It was a... a very manly yell of happiness."

Marlene smirks. "Yeah, right. Manly."

Uriah pouts and quickly changes the subject. "Hey Lynn, how's guarding the fence working out for you?"

"It's pretty cool," Lynn replies. Her look's changed - her head isn't bald anymore, but a layer of short golden hair has grown in. It suits her face. "But I couldn't miss initiation for anything."

Tobias raises his eyebrows. "Really?"

"Of course she wants to stay! And remember that party at the end of initiation? AWE-SOME!" Christina fills in quickly, grinning.

Zeke nods quickly. "Lots of fun!"

Shauna gives him a glare, and he shrinks back under it. I wonder what's going on between them. They were a cute couple last time I checked.

Suddenly, I realize something. "Hey guys, is lunch nearly over?"

Christina frowns, and her face suddenly melts into an expression of shock. "The initiates! Sorry guys, got to go."

Tobias, Christina, Uriah, and I race out of the lunchroom as fast as we can. Wind whips my hair and stings my face as we sprint down to the training room, which is in the bottom depths of the Pit. Finally, we slow to a stop in front of the folding glass doors, and compose ourselves before we walk in. The initiates are standing inside, talking, all except for David, who stands alone, smiling slyly. I get the strangest feeling he's looking at me. I shiver slightly and push away my feeling of unease. _He can't be that bad, right?_

"All right, today we're going to work on punches and kicks, and tomorrow, we'll start the fights. You will be ranked in order of who wins the fights. If you're high ranked, and you lose to a low ranked opponent, that will cost you heavily. At the end of the fights, you will be put in comparison with the Dauntless born, and the bottom 4 initiates will be cut."

Tobias turns around the blackboard and displays the fights, which we worked out quickly.

_Bryan vs. Alex_

_Rita vs. Holly_

_Britney vs. Claire _

_David vs. Liam_

"Since there's an odd number of you, Isaac, you won't be fighting today," I announce. Isaac sinks down in relief and massages his forehead.

"However, since you missed a fight, you will be placed against a harder opponent next time." I finish my sentence, and Isaac looks up in alarm.

"It may not be pretty, so I suggest you practice for it," Four says, his face emotionless.

Isaac nods quickly, fear evident in his face. _I wonder why he chose Dauntless._

Bryan and Alex step into the ring, fists up to protect their jaw. They each put up a mask to hide their true emotions. I can tell they don't want to hurt each other, but once Alex throws a punch, they go into a "fight mode" and become a blur of punches and kicks. Finally, Bryan falls to his knees and passes out after a hard punch to the temple. Alex's face immediately morphs into an expression of concern, and he crouches down, blood pouring from his nose, and taps Bryan's forehead.

"Bryan?" He asks, checking his pulse. "Are you conscious?"

After a couple seconds, Bryan opens his eyes and nods at Alex. "I'm fine. Hey, good fight!"

"You too!" Alex replies, looking relieved.

"Take him to the infirmary," Tobias says, motioning towards the door. Alex nods and helps Bryan out the door, their footsteps echoing down the hall.

"All right." Tobias claps his hands. "Up next, Rita and Holly."

Their fight is a fast one, ending when Rita collapses to the floor, completely knocked out after several punches to her stomach and forehead. Holly heaves her up and half carries, half drags her to the infirmary roughly.

"Next up, Britney and Claire," Tobias announces. Britney fake sighs, and walks up to Tobias, smiling sweetly at him.

"Hi Four," she says breathlessly, batting her eyelashes.

"Hey," Tobias says. "Come on, your fight is right now."

"So, I was wondering, it's okay if you wouldn't let me fight, right? Isaac can fight that ugly little midget Claire instead. Of course, if I did, it would ruin my complexion, wouldn't it?"

A strand of blonde hair falls across her face while the other initiates stare at her incredulously. Claire's eyes are wide and filled with sudden hatred. Britney ignores everyone else and looks up at Tobias with a pout.

"No. Fight her, Britney. Lose, I don't care. It's your initiation."

"Oh!" Britney steps back, not used to such a hard rejection. She glares at me. "I'LL GET YOU FOR THIS!" She screams. I sigh. "Good luck with that," I nod at her.

I whirl around and calmly leave the training room. _But I can't look weak._

"Hey Four, tell me who wins the next fights, all right?" I call out in an intimidating voice, not looking back. I hear his, "Yeah Six. Sure thing", and I smile to myself. I walk out of the training room with quick, light steps. _What should I do now? _Suddenly, I have a sudden idea. I'm going to pay a little visit to Abnegation.

**. . .**

The cold wind slices at my skin as I tuck my jacket on. I decided to dress a little more simply for the visit. I have on short black combat boots, paired with black shorts and a long sleeved loose black shirt that whips in the wind. I crouch in the train car, watching the landscape race by, and slowly change from tall, abandoned buildings, to dirty shacks and littered roads. The train is passing through the factionless sector. I see dirty little children crouched down, scared, as the train whistles past, and my mind whirls. I have never seen children before in the factionless area.

Finally, the train crosses Abnegation, and I take a flying leap onto the grass and roll to regain my balance. I start walking towards the orderly gray houses. Pretty soon, I turn onto my old street, and I have to bite my lip because so many memories are flooding my mind. I stand in front of the door to my house, and lift up my hand to knock. A familiar face answers, and I bite my lip. "Hi, Dad."

**Hope you liked it! Please review. **


	7. Visits and Shocks

**A.N./ Hey, sorry it took so long to update :( I know, I'm such a mean person for making you guys wait. I made it a little longer this time. :) Anyway, I just want to say something, shoutouts to InMortalActressWannabe, Superwholockdivergence, Middy's. ., cityofdauntless123, CandorBorn, and all my guest reviewers. Thank you so much for reviewing! And a special shoutout to SandstormxFirestarfan and CrimeGirlMariah2000, you've reviewed this story since I posted Chapter 1, I'm so glad you like it. Oh and thank you to all the followers and favoriters... is that a word?... of this story. Anyway, I won't make you reader people wait any longer, here's the next chapter! Thanks!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Divergent, or any of the Hunger Games phrases in this chapter. **

My father stands in the door frame, his eyes widening.

"Beatrice?" he finally asks, staring at me as if he can't quite believe I'm real. I nod. Immediately, his face hardens for an instant, and then softens again. "Come inside." He motions inside the orderly gray house. "We have a lot to talk about."

I walk through the familiar hallway, aching for the days where I had no secrets from my parents, and we were all just Abnegation, Caleb too, being selfless. The times when we were together and safe.

I walk into the dining room, and see my mother sitting at the table, her back facing me. She rises and turns around. "Beatrice?" She looks just as neat and prim as she did before, blonde hair pulled into a neat bun and a simple gray outfit. I am pulled into a gentle hug, which I awkwardly return, remembering that my parents weren't ever that big on physical contact.

She pulls back and studies my face. "So, I take it you made it into Dauntless." She smiles slightly as I nod. "Ranked first."

"So you did make the right choice." My father stares at me, and I can see a bit of accusation and hurt in his eyes. However, there's something else, too. Pride? Admiration? I can't quite place it.

"I guess." My mother, ever being the perfect Abnegation, stands and offers me the only chair. I nod and sit down awkwardly, looking nervously at my parents. A silence fills the plain room.

"I have a boyfriend." I blurt out. I don't know why I said it, just probably to get it over with. My mother's calm demeanor doesn't change, but my father's face contorts into a look of fury.

"Beatrice! You're WAY too young for that! How old is he? You need to get rid of him immediately-"

"DAD. He's eighteen, and his name is Four. And I am not too young for him." My mom's face changes into a knowing smile. She probably remembers him from Visiting Day.

"He's way too old for you, Beatrice! And that's not a real name." My father narrows his eyes suspiciously. "Tell me his real name. What faction is he from?"

I walk up and stare him in the eyes. "If I tell you, swear not to tell as single other person in case the word gets out." He nods, and I mentally sigh as I open my mouth.

"His name is Tobias Eaton. He came from Abnegation."

Light dawns in my father's eyes as he realizes who Four is. "Marcus' son? The traitor? You would be better off far away from him, Beatrice! Though I would rather approve of you dating HIM than any other Dauntless maniac. At least he knows how to behave." My father crosses his arms. I remember times when Tobias and his family had come to my house when we were young, and we had played together. And then one day, he stopped coming, though Marcus and Evelyn still visited. His face was wiped from my childhood memory, extinguished like it had never been there.

"It's Tris, Dad. But anyway," I clear my throat. "How are you doing? Is everything okay?"

"Just fine," my mother answers warmly. "Though we should be talking about you, Beatrice." Typical Abnegation response. Suddenly, a question rises in my head and I immediately say it out loud to my mother.

"Did you really transfer from Dauntless?" I ask my mother. "And Dad from Erudite?"

Immediately, a momentary expression fills my mother's face. Longing? Sadness? However, it's gone before I can place it. "Yes," she says.

My father speaks up from the corner of the room. "And you've gone back to the factions we came from. You to Dauntless, and Caleb to Erudite." He shakes his head. "Coincidental, when you think about it."

I nod my head, not knowing what to say, when suddenly, I feel my cell phone buzzing in my pocket. I pull it out and hold it to my ear.

"Hello?"

"TRIS! TRIS, WHERE ARE YOU? ARE YOU OKAY? DO YOU NEED ANYTHING? ARE YOU HURT? TRIS!" Tobias yells into the phone, and I feel a tingling warmth in my toes. _He cares about me._

I laugh. "I'm fine, Tobias. Just decided to pay a little visit to Abnegation."

"Tris, you scared me! Never do that again! I went to our apartment and you weren't there. I almost had a heart attack!" His voice drops to a whisper. "I love you."

"I love you too," I reply. "I'm leaving now. See ya in a while, Four."

"I'll be waiting, Six." He has a hint of a smile in his voice as I end the call and turn to my parents. "I have to go. I'll see you guys later." I turn to the door, and as I'm almost out, I hear my father's voice.

"Beatrice. Just... stay safe, okay?"

I nod. "I will."

I slip out the door amongst the orderly gray houses, and shove my hands in my pockets as I walk towards the train tracks. The ride back to Dauntless is brief, and I jump out of the train car, duck and roll, and start walking. This way of life is natural to me now. I am a Dauntless.

As I arrive in the Pit, I see Four in the doorway, tapping his heels and checking his watch obsessively. He looks up and his eyes light up. "Tris! FINALLY!" He pulls me into a kiss, and we stay in it. He smiles against my lips. "So, how'd the meeting with your parents go?"

"Good," I reply. "I don't think my dad's gonna come here to hunt you down."

"Well that's an improvement," he laughs. "Do you wanna go home now?"

"Sure." Tobias puts his arm around my shoulders and caresses my hair as we walk toward our apartment. Finally, we reach our apartment, and he checks his pockets for the keys.

"Shoot!"

"What?"

"I must've left my keys in the control room. I gotta go get them." He lines up his face with mine. "Stay right here, okay?" I nod, smiling. "It'll be fine, I promise! Just go."

He nods and leaves. I cross my arms and close my eyes, thinking, before a harsh voice interrupts my thoughts. "Well well, look who it is. The Stiff."

_Peter. _I sigh, not opening my eyes. "Peter, don't even bother. Just go."

"I think I will. But maybe first, I'll take a little prize with me." _What? _Suddenly, a blindfold wraps around my eyes, and my mind goes into attack mode. I punch out, kicking and biting as I am carried down the hallway.

"Let's go dispose of her." A rough voice says, and my mind whirls. I know that voice. _Eric. _My mouth breaks free of the duct tape, and I yell. "FOUR!" I punch someone, and I transform into a monster, kicking, biting, and punching, before I am finally dropped. I pull off the blindfold and kick and punch Eric and Peter where I know it'll hurt most.

"Tris?" I hear Tobias. "TRIS!" I know that he sees me, and I hear the sound of feet slapping against pavement. Four materializes beside me, his face hard and his eyes murderous. He uppercuts them and hits each again and again, till both Eric and Peter are unconscious, with several bruises and purple patches of skin.

He spins around. "Are you okay?" I nod slowly. I feel blood trickle from the side of my mouth, and his face morphs into one of concern. "You're hurt." He gently lifts his sleeve and dabs at the blood. "What did they do to you?"

"Well, they tried to dump me into the Chasm and kill me."

Tobias' face grows hard. "There are serious charges for attempted murder," he says. "I wouldn't be surprised if Eric found himself without a job tomorrow."

I slowly put my weight on my legs and limp forward. "We need to get you to the infirmary,"  
Tobias says. "What about them?" I ask, not really caring what happens to them. It just seems wrong to leave them lying next to the Chasm.

Tobias spits at Eric contemptuously. "They'll get picked up by Max. I'll call him now." He takes out his phone and dials Max's number. He has to do it three times because he's so angry he's punching a bunch of wrong buttons.

"Hey Max, I think you should come over to the Chasm. Yeah, attempted murder. Oh, Eric and Peter. No, they're just unconscious. Tris is alive. Yeah, see you here. Bye."

"Let's go." Tobias carries me bridal style to the infirmary, where a nurse looks at me and clicks her tongue. "Come on." Tobias refuses to put me down, so he carries me to a sterile white room where I am laid down on a soft bed with clean white sheets.

"We have to give her an injection to let her sleep." The nurse says. She smiles at me as she presses down on the plunger. "It will go into effect in one minute." She cleans the needle and leaves the room quietly. Tobias turns to me.

"I'm so sorry, Tris." He mutters, his bottom lip trembling. "This is all my fault. I left you unprotected." He looks on the verge of tears as he grips my hand.

I shake my head. "No, it's not your fault. It's okay. Anyway, I'm alive, aren't I?" I say, trying to crack a joke.

"I love you, Tris." Tobias caresses my hair and gives me a warm, loving smile. I smile through the haze that's beginning to blur my vision. "I love you too." I can feel sleep tugging at me, my eyelids closing slowly. I can only manage a phrase: "Stay with me."

He smiles before replying, "Always."

**A.N./ Sorry about the Hunger Games phrases, I just had to :) Thank you so much for reading! :D I love you guys so much. Please review, because I really want to know what you think of it! :) So, see you next time! **

**-DauntlessProdigy4Life**


	8. A New Start

**A.N./ Hey guys! A shorter than usual chapter today. But anyway, hope you like it! As always, thank you so much to my readers and reviewers. I love you guys. Anyway, here's the next chapter!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Divergent. You know, the usual. **

My eyes flutter lightly. "Hey." I smile at Tobias, who returns the favor with a kiss. "Wow, I was beginning to think you'd never wake up."

"Do you really think I'd leave you all alone?" I joke, feeling warm and sleepy. I stretch out, letting my mind wander. A patch of warm sunlight falling on my blankets suggest that it's late afternoon. It feels so good to have nothing to do... to be lazy and peaceful... with no work at all...

"THE INITIATES!" I yell, so loud that the skinny man with an eye bruise in the next bed shoots up in alarm, muttering and looking around hazily. A nurse gives me an angry glare before scuttling to quiet him.

"Sorry," I whisper, still alarmed. "But Tobias, what about the initiates? I completely forgot about them! What should we do? We'll get fired! We-"

"Relax, Tris." Tobias' voice is soft and soothing. "Zeke, Will, and Lynn filled in for us today. It's all settled."

I let out a sigh of relief, leaning against the cool pillow. "Zeke and Lynn, huh? Those kids are gonna have a hard time today." I smirk.

He laughs. "Yup. Oh by the way, Max was here to see you. Well, and me, but I told him to save it for later. He said it wasn't that urgent."

"Max?" I ask, confused. "What's he want?"

"I thought I would talk it over with you before he formally asks you. You know Eric's going to be made factionless, right? For attempted murder of one of the Dauntless prodigies, Six. Peter managed to sweet talk his way out of them exiling him to. He's going to be stationed at the fence for the rest of his time as a Dauntless. Then factionless." Tobias kisses my forehead and smiles at me. A bubble of relief rises in me, releasing all the pent up worry and pressure I didn't know I had.

"Wonderful." I say. "So, you still haven't told me. What did Max want?"

"Well, he was thinking, because Eric left, he wanted to know if the two of us wanted to become Dauntless leaders," he says, blushing.

"Dauntless leaders? Really?"

"Yeah. Max said he's been a leader for a long time, and it's time to give the position to someone new. He said it's perfect because, well, we're Dauntless prodigies, right?" Tobias laughs and looks hopefully at me. "So? What do you think?"

I give him a huge smile. "It's great."

Tobias hugs me, and I grin. "I bet Christina's going to have fun now. Her best friend is a Dauntless leader."

Tobias pouts. "Aww, I thought I was your best friend!"

"Nope. You're my worst enemy," I say laughing.

"Well, Trissy, no cake for you for six months!" He lifts me up, laughing like a little boy.

"Aww, no please!" I say, pretending to be scared. "Cake is my life!"

"Oh well, I guess we can make an exception," Tobias says.

We kiss each other before I hear a familiar voice. "Tris!"

"Hey Marlene," I say, grinning. "I forgot you were a nurse!"

"Yup," she smiles. "Anyway, how're you doing? Eric's gonna be exiled in a couple hours, by the way. At 6. And you've been given permission to leave." She hands me a black outfit. "Credits from Christina," she says, smiling. "She dropped this off immediately after you came in, demanding that you put it on immediately after your release."

"Sure," I say. Marlene nods at us and leaves, grinning.

"I guess you better go change." Tobias smiles at me. "I'll wait for you, okay? I'm not taking any chances after what happened."

"Okay." I walk into the changing room, wincing at a sharp pain in my shoulder. Once I get in, I put on the outfit. Christina gave me black skinny jeans, and black long sleeves shirt that stops at my stomach and hangs off one shoulder. I put on knee length leather boots, and pull my hair up in a casual bun. _Wow, Christina. _I actually like this outfit.

I walk out and Tobias gapes at me. "Tris... wow. Just, don't stop wearing that, okay?" I smile as I grasp his hand and we walk out.

**. . .**

We arrive in the Pit to see masses of Dauntless crowding around, talking, dancing, shouting, fighting, and basically the norm. Suddenly, I hear Max behind us. "Four, Six. Have you made your decision?"

Tobias looks at me, and I smile back. He nods at Max. "We'll take the job." Max grins. "I'm glad. Anyway, I have to go announce Eric now. See you later." He leaves before turning back and saying, "Oh, Six - Christina's going to be promoted as the new factions ambassador now."

As he walks away, I smirk. "Nice." We watch Max get up and yell over the crowd of Dauntless: "SHUT IT!" Eventually, everyone settles down to watch Max speak.

"Eric, former Dauntless leader, and second place initiation. You are being held guilty for attempting to murder Six, the Dauntless prodigy. Do you deny that you tried to kill her?"

"I don't."

"Well, then, you will be made factionless in a matter of minutes. Do you have anything to say?"

Eric looks at the Dauntless, a crazy light in his eyes. "Nope. But I'll be back. So don't party for too long."

An long silence fills the Pit after his words, as every person stares at Eric, trying to figure out what he means. Finally, Max walks up. "Eric, you are hereby exiled to the factionless. Leave and never come back to Dauntless again." Eric is escorted out by two burly guards, still with the maniac smile on his face. I shudder, and Tobias puts his arm around me comfortingly. "Shh, it's okay. He's gone. "

Max nods at the mass of Dauntless. "Now, on a different note, I have decided to step down from the position of Dauntless leader. Instead, your new Dauntless leaders will be Four and Six!" A roar of shouts, cheers, and applause swells as everyone claps and roars their approval. I grin and scream with everyone else as I grasp Tobias' hand and lift it up. The chanting changes into a repetive shout of "Four! Six! Four! Six!" My heart swells and I feel like I am about to burst with pride and happiness. We yell along with the crowd. These are the moments where I feel truly wild. Where I feel Dauntless.

**Thanks for reading! So, you know the drill. As always, remember to review with your thoughts. Thank you guys so much for reading! Until next time:**

**~DauntlessProdigy4Life**


	9. Visiting Day

**Hey guys :) I'm so sorry for making you wait so long, but here's the next chapter! It's longer cuz I'm so sorry for leaving you :P :D But thank you SO much for reading! You don't know how much this means to me. Literally. When I get a new review, I'm like running around screaming that I did. XD**

**Replies to some of my reviewers who asked questions about this story(even if they are guests, you know who you are):**

**Guest: I'll try and post as often as I can! I hope you like this story :D**

**Fan: Yup, they're still training initiates! I just made them take a break for a couple chapters.**

**Divergentfangirl: I'm still thinking about whether I should make Eric come back or not. :DDD I'm not sure yet though haha**

**Guest: Yup, Tris and Tobias are the only Dauntless leaders now.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Divergent - all the credits go to Veronica Roth.**

"Hey." Tobias brushes my hair out of my eyes as we lie entwined together in bed. I smile and he kisses me softly, wrapping his arms around my waist as he pulls me closer. I press against him, inhaling his warm scent of mint and honey. The perfect combination. Like us.

Tobias smiles at me. "Today's Visiting Day, isn't it?" My eyes widen as I remember. _Will my parents be here? Will Caleb?_

"Mm-hmm." I roll out of bed sleepily, and fall onto the floor.

Tobias' face appears at the edge. "Smooth, Tris." He smirks at me and I roll my eyes. "Whatever!" We both laugh before he rolls out too, landing right on top of me. "Ugh, Tobias! How much do you weigh?" I ask, trying and failing to wriggle out.

"Excuse me?" He turns around so that we are facing each other, his eyes inches from mine. I melt into his embrace, his deep blue eyes capturing mine. "I think that calls for a punishment." He gently presses his lips to mine, then pulls away. "That was a warning. Next time, you'll get two kisses!"

I laugh. "That's wonderful."

Tobias laughs too, and gives me a quick peck on the forehead before getting up off me and pulling a tight black t-shirt on and black jeans. He pulls on a pair of black converse and grabs a leather jacket, before turning to me. "Hey Tris, I'll go get something to eat. Meet me at the training room, kay love?"

I nod, smiling, before he leaves. I close the door and get to work. Christina texts me.

_Christina: Hey, you gonna come to Visiting Day today?_

_Me: Yeah, I'll meet you at the training room. Oh, by the way, did the fights finish yesterday?_

_Christina: Ya, the rankings should be up this evening. Come on early. :D Cya there!_

_Me: Bye - cya._

I throw on whatever I can find, which turns out to be black skinny jeans and boots. I pull on a tight black tank top that shows my tattoos and a leather jacket before I throw open the door and race down to the training room. I fly in and see Christina, Uriah, and Tobias poring over the blackboard. Tobias looks up and grins, before tossing me a muffin. "Hey."

"Tris!" Christina waves at me and Uriah grins. "Sup."  
"Hey." I look over the blackboard and the rankings. "Wait, who won those fights two days ago before I went to Abnegation? The ones between Britney and Claire, and David and Liam," I ask Tobias, and he furrows his brow as he thinks.

"Claire won the first one by a landslide, I don't know why. She seemed really angry. Oh, and Liam won the second one." I smile, the thought of Britney losing cheering me up, before I lean in close to Tobias' ear. "Any Divergents? Can you tell?"

"Nope," he replies softly. "But we'll be able to tell soon."

"What are you two whispering about?" Uriah asks, grinning. He winks at Tobias, and I shake my head. "Uriah!"

"What?"

"Nothing," I say, laughing. I take a quick look at the transfer rankings.

_Transfers_

_1) Alex_

_2) Bryan_

_3) Holly_

_4) Liam_

_5) Claire_

_6) David_

_7) Britney_

_8) Isaac_

_9) Rita_

So Britney stays. I suppress a sigh, before checking to see who will be cut from the Dauntless born. It's a girl named Cassie and a boy - Rick. Never heard of them before. I nod in approval before turning to everyone else. "Hey Uri, are you gonna go see your parents?"

"Eh, sure, why not? Though my mom isn't so happy with me. The last time I saw her, I may have ruined a lot of her clothes during a spontaneous free for all paintball game. But still, I have no idea what she's so worried about. Pink suits her, really!" Uriah nods vigorously, his face earnest.

Tobias and I burst out laughing except for Christina who stands there open-mouthed. "Her CLOTHES? No way, Uri," she says, half smiling.

"Come on, guys," I say, and we run out of the training room. "Well my parents probably won't be there - I went to go visit them in Abnegation already."

"You did?" Christina asks. "Is that allowed?"

"I have no idea," I say, grinning.

"I wonder if my mom will be here," Christina wonders out loud.

"Well, let's find out." Tobias increases the pace as we all fly towards the Pit. We reach it, panting, our eyes already wandering around. A mass of people are milling around, and the normally black clothed crowd is mixed with shades of white, blue, and red. I think I even see a gray clothed woman talking to a tall Dauntless man.

Christina's eyes open wide. "It's my mom!" She laughs and races toward a tall Candor woman.

Uriah shrugs. "I'll go see my mom later. I don't think she had enough time to cool off yet." He laughs and for a moment, the easy way he talks about his family makes my heart ache. And then I remember I have my own family here in Dauntless.

I see Liam arguing with a Candor couple as they attempt to make their way over here to Tobias and I.

"No Mom, it's FINE!"

"Liam, don't lie." The Candor woman pushes past him and stares at us in a self - assured way. "Are you maniacs or something? Those paths are so narrow, I almost had a heart attack! This is completely insane." I almost laugh at her forthright manner, but I catch myself and look at her. "This is Dauntless, ma'am. Oh, and a side note, your son isn't Candor anymore. The ideal of honesty is not as respected here, but bravery is the main thing encouraged."

She snorts. "Hmph. And I suppose you think yourself worthy enough to talk like that to me. How old are you? Nineteen? Twenty?"

"I'm seventeen and I'm a Dauntless leader." I say in an intimidating voice. "_Don't_ question our faction."

Her eyes widen and she nods hurriedly. "Okay. How's Liam doing in training?"

I see Liam grin at me and he mouths silently. _Nice job._ I laugh and nod at him before turning back to his mother. "He's doing fine, ma'am. I'm not allowed to divulge the rankings, but I can tell you he probably won't be factionless by the end of today. We're showing the stage one rankings in the evening."

Liam overhears me and his eyes light up in delight. As his parents walk away, grumbling, he whispers, "Seriously, Six?"

"Yeah," I grin. "Just don't tell the other initiates. I'm not really supposed to tell the rankings."

He nods vigorously and runs off, a new spring in his step. I smile and walk off with Tobias, when I hear a familiar shout. "Beatrice!" I turn and see a boy in Erudite blue and large glasses, running towards me. "Do I know you?" I say, confused.

He takes off his glasses and looks at me. "Caleb?" My eyes widen. Tobias puts an arm protectively around me. "Tris, who's this?"

"Caleb. He's my brother." I say, dazed.

"Beatrice, how are you?" He asks. "I figured our parents wouldn't come, like they didn't last time. I thought I should come and check up on you." Tobias' arm tightens around me. Caleb narrows his eyes at him, but I ignore it and answer.

"They did come for me last Visiting Day. Well, at least our mother did. She was Dauntless, you know."

Caleb's eyes widen. "What?" His tone is half hurt, half shocked. "They came for you?" _Wow. Really has his priorities straight._

"Abnegation weren't allowed in the Erudite compound," I answer. "And yes, our mom transferred from Dauntless."

Caleb looks at his feet. "Anyway," he mumbles. His head shoots up. "Who are you?" he asks Tobias accusingly.

"I'm her boyfriend, Four." Tobias answers simply, shrugging.

Caleb's eyes widen. "Beatrice, what are you doing to yourself? You have to tell father about this, I can't approve what you're doing, just-"

"Caleb. I already told Dad, and he said he's okay with it." Caleb's eyes open wide in shock and then he narrows his eyes. "You're not lying, right?"

"She's a terrible liar," Tobias says, kissing the top of my head. "You definitely didn't have any aptitude for Candor," he laughs, and I allow myself a smile.

Caleb shakes his head slowly. "May I ask your name?" He says. "Your REAL name."

Tobias' eyes harden. "It's something I want only Tris and her parents to know."

"You can at least tell me!" Caleb fumes. He's probably not used to having knowledge kept from him.

Tobias shakes his head. "Nope."

Caleb sighs. "Fine, I have to go, Beatrice. Just really fast, how are you doing?"

"I'm fine. I'm a Dauntless leader."  
Caleb's eyes widen. "Really? Then why don't you implement some safety measures here? Really - it's extremely likely that you'll fall off one of those narrow stone paths in this... "Pit". The ratio of tripping and falling, to being safe is 3 to 1! And it's been researched at Erudite about-"

"Caleb. Seriously. Go."

He sighs. "All right. Maybe I'll see you later. Bye." He walks calmly out of the Pit. I roll my eyes and turn around to make eye contact with Tobias. He smiles and whispers, "Let's go back now." I nod and lean my head on his shoulder as he picks me up, bridal style, and carries me up to our apartment with ease. He dumps me on the bed and I lie there, watching him.

"I love you," he smiles as he hugs me.

The rest of the day passes uneventfully, with us just staying in our room the whole day, playing games and inevitably ending up next to each other. By the time 7:00 rolls around, we're just lying down, talking and kissing. Tobias yawns slowly and gets out of bed, his hair a mess. We both change into clean clothes and walk down to the initiate dorms.

"I'll get the blackboard, Tris. Meet ya there, kay?"

"Sure." I lean against the wall, waiting, until he finally runs back, holding the board with the rankings. We walk into the quiet dorm. I look around. Everyone's either nervously sitting on the bed, or talking quietly. Liam, Bryan, Alex, and Holly are talking together, and laughing slightly. It looks like they aren't too worried about their rankings.

"All right, LISTEN UP!" Tobias yells, going into Four mode. "Here are your rankings. If you're the last two, you'll be cut, along with two Dauntless born." He puts up the board and the initiates scramble to see where they are.

_Transfers_

_1) Alex_

_2) Bryan_

_3) Holly_

_4) Liam_

_5) Claire_

_6) David_

_7) Britney_

_8) Isaac_

_9) Rita_

Immediately, Rita lets out a loud scream and runs out of the room. Isaac stands stock still, staring at the board, a single tear running down his face. I actually feel a little sorry for him, and I mumble, "Sorry," before he slowly exits the room as well.

I turn to Tobias pleadingly, and he nods and looks at the group of initiates. "Congratulations. You have all passed Stage 1." He makes eye contact with every person, and they all give him a small smile. "As I said earlier, the next stage will be about emotional training. There is no way to prepare for this stage, so I hope you all are ready. Congratulations again." We leave the room.

Suddenly, a yell of, "Chasm!" makes our eyes open wide and we look around, ready and alert. We sprint to the Chasm to see a girl's body being fished out slowly by thick ropes. It's Rita. I clap my hand over my mouth as I back away, horrified. When I blink, I don't see Rita, I see Al, the Candor transfer in my initiation, his face bloody and his eyes dark and sightless. Tobias turns to me and he cups my face immediately, staring at me.

"Tris? Are you okay?"

"Yeah," I say. _Al._ _Will he really haunt me forever?_

"I need to go home." I say, quickly. Tobias nods and puts his arm around me as we slowly walk back to the apartment.

**Hope you liked it! :D Please review, as always, I love to see what you guys think. :D Until next time...**

**-DauntlessProdigy4Life**


	10. Fear Landscapes

**Hey guys! Sorry, not too long this time, but still, hope you like it! Oh and thank you SO MUCH to all my reviewers.**

**Oh by the way, MintClaw: I don't have any plans to stop this story at the moment, and I DEFINITELY won't kill any of those four off. I love them as much as you do :D**

**Thanks so much to everyone who read it, I'm so glad someone actually is interested in this story. Here's the next chapter!**

**Disclaimer: You know - the usual. I don't own Divergent.**

"Be brave." Tobias says, with a serious tone. Most of the initiates have white faces, because we haven't told them what task they have to do. "Remember, there is nothing to fear but fear itself."

"And spiders," Liam mutters, cracking a small smile from Holly. He gives her a small grin and tucks his arm around her. I raise my eyebrows slightly, but turn to Tobias.

"Let's start."

We call in Bryan first. He's shaking as he gets in the long white chair and looks at me when I pick up the syringe.

"What's it do?" he asks, trying to keep his voice steady.

"It will make you face something you fear. Just a simulation, to see how you react in the midst of fear." Bryan's face changes and he takes a deep breath. "I'm ready. Just, do it fast, Six."

I quickly insert the needle into his neck, the liquid disappearing.

He takes a deep breath and closes his eyes. Tobias and I turn to the screen. "We have to watch carefully," he whispers. I nod.

_**Bryan's POV**_

_ Face my fears? _No. She must've been joking. But there's no humor in her face, and slowly it dawns on me. I have to get this over with. "I'm ready. Just, do it fast, Six." She nods and pushes the needle into the side of my neck, pressing down on the plunger.

Almost immediately, my vision goes blurry and I close my eyes. After a short period of quiet, I open them. I'm in a small, dark room. _This isn't so bad._

A man in Candor black and white comes in and says, "Come on, sir. The crowd is waiting."

"What crowd?" I say, gulping.

"You have to give your speech, remember? About your thoughts on Abnegation's government system."

_A speech. Oh no. Oh no. _The man looks at me expectantly, so I slowly walk out into the blinding daylight, and see a crowd of people from mixed factions in front of me. They stare expectantly, and I stutter as I look down at a paper. "Um, hi, so umm..."

"Just get to the good part already!" Someone yells. I hear yells of assent as I nod quickly and attempt to continue. "So, Abnegation has, umm... done very, well, you see... umm..."

"LAME!" a Dauntless man yells. A crowd of people join in, laughing at me, and I cringe away from their displeasure. I've always been scared of being humiliated in front of everyone. And this is combined with my fear of public speaking.

The braver Dauntless start throwing garbage at me and I cringe as they yell, "Dude, what's wrong with you? Cat got your tongue? Lame, show us somethin else!"

"Just STOP okay?" I scream and I race off the stage. I hold my head in my hands, tears running down my face. Slowly, I calm down, though my breath is still coming in pants. I blink, and suddenly I'm back in the simulation room.

"Nine minutes, fifty-four seconds," Six says. "Nice job, that was pretty good." I give them a small nod and I stagger out the back door. That was... terrifying.

_**Tobias POV**_

"Well, he's not Divergent," I say to Tris as she rubs the back of her head. "Yup," she answers tiredly. "I'll get Alex."

She walks out of the room and returns soon with Alex. He looks a little more steady than Bryan, and walks to the chair and settles down, only pausing to ask us what the syringe Tris is holding is going to do.

I take the needle and press it into his neck. He presses his eyes tightly closed, and Tris and I both turn to the screen instantly. Alex is in a small room, the edges petering off into darkness. His mother sits in a chair, watching his every move.

"Mom!" He runs toward her, but smacks into an invisible wall. His eyes grow wide as he presses his palms to the wall, before he realizes he's enclosed on 3 sides. A tall man walks slowly down the stairs, holding a belt, and staring harshly at Alex.

"You chose DAUNTLESS? Over me? Over us?"

He uncoils the belt and raises it high over his head. He speaks a single sentence. The sentence that will haunt me for the rest of my life.

_This is for your own good._

Alex's father brings down the belt upon his back and Alex lets out a scream. "It hurts! Stop it!"

"I told you to stay! I told you not to leave! There are consequences. I'll find you!" He brings down the belt again, and I see Marcus. I am filled with flashbacks of those bloody days filled with pain and and scars, and suddenly I am filled with rage.

Tris grips my hand. "Are you okay?" _No, I'm not. It's Marcus. I'll never be rid of him. _

A scream brings me back to real life. Alex appeals to his mother. "Mom, help! Please!" She puts down her knitting and goes to stand next to his father. She smiles serenely.

"It's okay, Alex. Your father is doing this for your own good. Just bear with it."

"NO!" Alex screams, putting his head in his hands, as his shirt is ripped off and his father smears his back with bloody lashes. I can't watch this anymore. It's real. It's true. It's like Marcus put this fear specially in Alex's brain just to torture me. It's like Marcus is telling me that I'll never be rid of him. It's real.

Finally, the simulation is stopped, and Alex jerks hard upright in the chair, panting. His face is streaked with tears, his dark hair messy. He puts his head in his hands when he sees us.

"I'm a coward - I know." He spits it out forcefully. I shake my head while going over to him and touching his shoulder. Alex looks up and I tell him, "It's okay" silently.

"You too?" he asks, and I nod slowly. "Yeah. Come on, I'll take you out the back door." We leave quietly.

"How'd you face it?" Alex gulps. I look at him seriously. "I didn't." And then he's crying again, and we both have tears running down our face. It's something we share in common. We both have a fear of the belt.

**Aww, this so sad :( And short XD Sorry guys, next one will be longer! Anyway, hope you liked it! Please review and tell me what you think. Do you guys have any ideas for fears? Constructive criticism please :D Thank you so much! See you soon!**

**-DauntlessProdigy4Life **


	11. Divergent

**A.N./ Thanks so much for all the reviews! I hope you guys like this chapter!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Divergent. Veronica Roth does.**

_Tris POV_

I press the needle into Britney's neck, watching the blue liquid swirl out of sight. She rolls her eyes and lies down, fluffing her hair innocently. She bats her eyelashes at Tobias, who is watching on the side.

"Shut it, Britney," he says. "I have a girlfriend."

"Oh I know," she replies sweetly. "Where's the fun if you didn't have one? To watch her break down when you betray her for-" Tobias is on his feet with a hand pressed to her mouth and his other hand curled in a fist. When he speaks, his voice is deathly quiet.

"If you don't have anything useful to say, don't say it at all. My beautiful girlfriend is far prettier and far more selfless and brave than you could ever be. Just hope that maybe one day you'll be half the girl she is."

A warm feeling appears in my chest and spreads throughout my body. Tobias moves back and puts his arm around me. Britney's eyes widen and she opens and shuts her mouth soundlessly.

"Her? She-"

"I said shut it." Tobias says, his arm still wrapped around me. His eyes narrow dangerously and she obediently lies down. We move to the screen, and I give him a small grin. "I wonder what her fear is."

Tobias laughs. "That's my Tris."

We watch the screen intently as Britney materializes in a small, dark room with a low ceiling. She presses her hands to the walls, obviously confused, until she hears the first squeak.

"MICE!" she shrieks. A mouse runs in from some invisible entrance and aims straight for her leg. It squeaks and runs up her leg as Britney convulses and hits herself in various spots. "Get off me, you ugly rat!"

The room shudders and a horde of gray mice race in and head straight for her. She squeals and flaps around in a crazy dance in an attempt to get rid of the mice.

Tobias laughs as he watches her flail around. "You know, I'm actually kind of enjoying this." At this, I grin. "A mouse, huh? I think I know what to do next time she gets to close to you."

At this, Tobias' eyes widen. "I meant what I said back there, you know."

"Really?" I smile softly, looking up into his deep blue eyes.

"Every word." He cups my face in both hands and softly presses his lips to mine. I twist my hand into his messy bronze hair and he pulls me closer. His touch is like fire and sends a shiver up my spine. Tobias kisses my lips and then moves softly to my neck, wrapping his arms around me. I close my eyes, loving the moment, when a loud shriek interrupts us.

"EWW! Getoffme!"

I sigh and untangle myself from him. "We'd better get her up now."

He nods and ruffles my hair. I press a light kiss to his cheek before walking up and ending the simulation. Britney shoots up like a rocket, her breath coming in pants as she slaps herself to make sure the mice are really off. Her breathing slows as she gets up and points a finger.

"Don't you dare use that against me."

I smirk. "No promises."

"What?!" She stamps her foot and leaves the room in a huff. I smile and go get Liam. He gets up, massaging his palms nervously.

"It's nothing to be afraid of," I say. "Well, yeah, it is, but you just have to learn to control yourself and keep a steady mind." He nods but his body is still tense.

I open the door and he walks in. Tobias picks up the syringe. "You ready?" he asks. Liam nods and brushes back his light brown hair with a hand. When he and Tobias are next to each other, I can really see how much they look alike. Without meaning to, I grin, and they both look at me, confused.

"What?" Tobias asks.

"Nothing." I reply, still grinning. Tobias inserts the syringe and presses down on the plunger. Liam's eyes are tightly closed, and he keeps them that way as he lies down. We turn to the screen.

Liam is in a spotlight - the area around it is dark. I suddenly remember something. "Hey, you think his fear is spiders?" I ask, and Tobias shrugs. "Probably."

We watch the screen closely, and suddenly a little black shape scuttles out of the darkness. "Guess I was right," I smile.

Liam appears not to have noticed the spider. He's staring around into the darkness fearfully, not knowing what terrible monsters might come out of it. The spider scuttles to his foot and climbs up his leg. His eyes widen, and I know that he's realized what happens. He slaps his leg and shakes it out, attempting to get rid of it, when a clicking noise cuts him off. It's a horde of them. Spiders.

Even I have to admit that these are scary. They're gigantic and hairy, with glowing red eyes and razor sharp pincers. I can only imagine what Liam must be thinking.

His mouth falls open and he looks around fearfully. "Stay away!" He yells, his voice cracking partway through. He's answered with clicks and scuttling noises, and he screams once as the spiders fall on him.

I can't see him anymore. Tobias and I strain to find his body through a mass of black and red. _He's probably not Divergent._

The clacking noises of pincers are intermixed with howls and screams as the spiders swarm Liam. Suddenly, he punches out, knocking one of them away. He flails out, punching and kicking as many as he can as they fall off him. He slowly stands up and picks up a stick that had appeared out of nowhere. Liam uses it to fend off the spiders. They retreat into the shadows angrily, and disappear from sight.

My eyes widen. Tobias stares at me, and I know what we're both thinking. _Liam's Divergent. _

Liam shoots up in the chair, his forehead slicked with sweat. Tobias gets straight to the point.

"Liam."

"What?" he asks.

"You're - just - meet us at the Pit at 7 this evening."

Liam furrows his brow, confused, but he nods and leaves without comment. I sigh. "And I thought there wouldn't be any and it would be stress free."

Tobias puts his arm around me. "I know. But now we have to work, Tris. We have to keep him alive."

I nod. "I'll go get Holly." I walk into the hall. "Holly, come on in." She walks in, her head up, and her posture confident. I nod in approval before picking up the syringe. "It's gonna hurt." She clenches her fists and brushes back her dark hair, allowing me to push it in.

I step back and adjust the seat. "It'll go into effect soon. Be brave. Remember, it's a simulation."

Holly presses her palms together and gives me a small smile. "Okay."

She closes her eyes and lies down on the tall reclining chair. Tobias and I turn to the screen.

"This is exhausting," I murmur.

"I know," Tobias replies. I can hear the small smile in his voice. "You know, when I saw you, last year, I just knew. You were different. Brave. Selfless." He lowers his voice to a whisper. "And that's why when you showed your Divergence in that fear simulation, I nearly had a heart attack." He grins.

I smile before turning back to the computer. I watch Holly as she materializes in... darkness.

Holly spins around, trying to make out her surroundings, but she can't. She cranes her neck, and suddenly shrinks back as a soft hiss reaches her ears. Her eyes widen as she looks around and starts running into darkness. She covers her ears as various hisses and whispers reach her ears. "You know what you are... You will die... You will become one of us!"

Holly stares at her hands, which are crumbling into light sand. She stares around frantically and sinks to her knees, curled up in ball. I strain to see what's happening, but I can't make out any details. And when she rises, she has a knife in one hand, and a flashlight in the other.

I turn to Tobias, who looks just as shocked as I feel. "How did she do that?" He splutters, waving his hands in the air. But it's possible. There's only one way.

Holly's Divergent too.

**I know, not an amazing ending. :D But I really hope you liked it! Please review and tell me your thoughts. Thanks! Until next time:**

**-DauntlessProdigy4Life**


	12. Truth and Test Results

**Hey guys! I was originally planning to update again in a few days, but it's Fourtris day, so here's your update! :D 3 You know - April 6th. 4/6 - don't tell me you don't get it XD Anyway, hope you like this chapter!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Divergent. The usual.**

We're leaning against a wall in the Pit, chatting with everyone else. I twirl the straw around in my drink, watching Tris absentmindedly pick at her chocolate cake. "Not eating?" I ask. Tris looks up. "Well, it's not like you're doing much either."

Uriah looks over and fakes shock. "Not eating Dauntless cake? What a tragedy!" He puts a hand to his forehead.

"Only to you, Uri, only to you." Zeke grins. Christina raises her eyebrows. "If I remember correctly, Zeke, you were the one yelling and complaining yesterday that the Dauntless cake in the cafeteria had run out."

"Psh, of course not! That must've been Uri." Zeke shakes his head quickly. I grin and look around. "Hey, where's Shauna?"

Zeke's eyes narrow and his expression becomes more guarded. "I don't know."

Will shrugs. "I heard she was at your apartment, dude. What's wrong?"

"None of your business." Zeke grits his teeth, forcing out every word. Will holds his hands up in surrender. "Hey, just asking! No need to get all upset about it."

Something's up. Definitely. Zeke ignores all of us and stares at his hand, picking at his fingernails. Christina puts on a cheerful expression in an attempt to break the tension. "Tris, the thing you did last time during initiation is today, right?"

"Yup," Tris replies dully. Uriah looks up in confusion. "Christina - you know - oh wait. You didn't come, right?" Christina shakes her head and Uriah's expression changes into one of gleeful delight. "Oh wow. You're gonna love it."

Christina widens her eyes. "And that's just what makes me think I won't." She laughs and Uriah nods quickly. "It's - Dauntless. Trust me on that."

"Four, you should come!" Tris whips her head up suddenly, fixing her eyes on me. I stare at her in confusion. _Has she forgotten my fear?_ Tris leans in close and whispers in my ear. "I promise you'll be fine. Really. We'll be together."

_No. No. Heights. No. No. No. _But then Tris looks up at me with pleading eyes, and all I can think about is how I love her so much. I find myself nodding and saying, "Sure". _What have I gotten into this time?_

"Yes!" Tris wraps her arms around me. "This is amazing!"

Uriah grins. "You're gonna love it, man. It's epic."

I smirk and turn to Tris. "We'd better leave now if we're going to, you know." The words hang unspoken in the air. _Meet the Divergents._

Zeke turns around. "Do what?" He smirks and Tris' eyes widen. "Zeke!" She slaps him and he cradles his arm. "Okay, okay. We'll meet you at the tracks at 9. It's changed up this year. It's way more fun in the dark."

Tris' eyes light up. "Daredevil stuff. Let's do it." We nod at everyone and leave them to walk to the center of the Pit.

_Tris POV_

I see Liam and Holly talking to each other. Holly laughs and slaps Liam's arm. He pouts before pushing back his messy hair and throwing an arm around her. They look so carefree, so at ease - I almost feel guilty about telling them what danger they're in. Well, they have to know.

"Hey guys, come with us." I call out, and they whip around instantly. Liam nods, offering his hand to Holly. She takes it and they walk hand in hand towards us. "We're going to the train tracks."

Tobias and I start running, and I can hear their feet slapping against the rock floor as they follow us. We race into the cool night air just as a whistle sounds and a yellow light shines through the mist, getting closer and larger by the second. The train roars past and we swing ourselves into the first car, waiting for Liam and Holly after we've done so.

Tobias immediately pulls out a flashlight and checks the corners and the roof. "What's he doing?" Holly asks curiously. I fix my eyes on them. "Checking for security cameras," I reply. Their faces morph into confused expressions as Tobias comes back and sits back against the wall.

"So, how do you want to begin this? I guess we may as well. Liam, Holly - what were your aptitude test results?" They shrink back against the wall, and Liam speaks out first. "Dauntless. None of your business, for the record."

Tobias leans forward. "Please don't lie. We're trying to help you here."

"I told you, Dauntless. Why do you need to know, anyway?" Liam asks stubbornly. I sigh, getting straight to the point. "Because we know that's not true." His eyes widen. "But-"

"Dauntless and Erudite," Holly speaks up. Her eyes are bright and she looks clearly at us. "I mean, you're our instructors, right? We're supposed to trust you."

I nod approvingly and look pointedly at Liam. "But still, why should I tell you?" He argues. "It's none of your business and the aptitude test lady said that I shouldn't-" He falters and Tobias leans forward. "Yes?"

Liam sighs. "Fine. That my result could be dangerous."

"And what was it?" I ask. I want him to say it.

"Divergent. Dauntless, Candor, Erudite, and Abnegation."

I suck in my breath. The mention of my old faction rattles me and fills me with memories. But this...this is something different. Something unusual.

"_Four_ factions?" Tobias asks, voicing what we are both thinking. "Are you sure?"

"Yeah. The aptitude test lady said that in my case, the test only eliminated Amity. Nothing else."

"Tris, tell them." Tobias presses his hand to his forehead. I nod and get straight to the point.

"You are both Divergent. Now what your aptitude testers told you was true. It's very dangerous for you to be here in Dauntless, because there are many people looking for initiates like you. Divergents. They will try to kill you, and they will succeed, if you don't do exactly what we tell you too."

Their eyes grow wide as they slowly process what I'm telling them.

"Wait, so what do we do?" Holly asks.

"Stage two and three are the parts where your Divergence will show. Liam, for you it showed when you knew the simulation wasn't real and you fought off the spiders. Holly, it showed for you when you eliminated your fear and altered the simulation. Both of you have to be very careful. Act as a Dauntless would. Calm your heart rate down. But be fast without showing who you are," Tobias says, looking each of them in the eye.

Liam and Holly both give simultaneous nods. "So basically, act Dauntless?" Liam asks.

I nod approvingly. "Exactly." Suddenly, I think of something. "By the way, there's a little Dauntless initiation ritual tonight for a couple selected initiates. I think you two should come. Bring anyone else who's interested."

"What is it?" Holly asks. I smirk. "Something Dauntless. You'll like it."

Liam grins. "We'll be there." The train speeds up as it passes Dauntless headquarters. I walk to the opening and jump, hand in hand with Tobias. Liam and Holly are right behind us. Tobias and I run down to the Pit, and meet Christina, Will, Uriah, Zeke, Marlene, Lynn, and a very hostile Shauna.

"Let's go," Uriah grins. "Who's this?" He asks, gesturing towards Liam and Holly. "Couple of initiates," I say dismissively. He nods and motions to everyone else. We climb up the Pit and enter into the night air. The train tracks are right in front of us, and a different train than the one we took a little while ago comes roaring up.

"COME ON!" Zeke yells as the Dauntless pile into the cars in black waves. I laugh in delight as Tobias and I are pulled into a rusty car. We crouch in a corner, watching the landscape go by and the cool air whip our face.

"Tris, I'm not so sure about this anymore." Tobias' eyes are wide and his voice is edged with fear. He looks like a little boy, scared of something he doesn't want to do.

"Tobias." I take both his hands in mine and look up into his eyes. "I don't want to make you do anything you don't want to do. But I promise this will be wonderful. We'll go together." He looks at me and nods slowly. "Okay."

The train starts screeching and yells can be heard from the other cars. The other Dauntless in our car jump off until it's just us left.

"Are you ready?" I ask Tobias.

He swallows nervously before replying. "Yeah."

My smile is bigger than anything before. "Then let's go."

**A.N/ I hope you guys liked it! Please review and tell me what you think. Until next time:**

**~DauntlessProdigy4Life**


	13. Ziplining

**Thanks for all the reviews! And omg. Almost 100 reviews?! Where did that come from? I can't believe it. Thank you guys so much – this is mind blowing. Wow. Still can't believe it. :O Thank you so much to everyone who is reading this right now. It means so much to me that people are reading it. :D**

**Anyway, here's the next chapter!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Divergent. The usual. XD**

_**Tris POV**_

My feet slam into the hard packed earth as we race toward the tall building. The Dauntless fly into the building as one, pushing and clamoring to get to the elevator first. I glance at Tobias, whose face is slightly pale. "Are you okay?" I ask.

"Yeah. I won't be in a couple minutes though." He jokes, and I sigh in relief. "Good."

We get into the musty, cramped elevator and Tobias squeezes my hand - I don't know whether it's because nerves or reassurance.

I smile at him. "This is going to be amazing. Trust me, Tobias." I use his real name because we're surrounded by an extremely loud and excited crowd of Dauntless.

"I know, Tris." He smiles at me as the elevator creaks to a halt. The doors slide open, and the Dauntless pile out into the cool air. I stand in front of the elevator and turn my face up to the night sky, throwing out my arms. I close my eyes, before I feel warm breath on my face. I open my eyes and see Tobias' face staring down at me.

"You look like a frog." He grins.

"Well excuse me, it feels good, okay?"

He laughs and sweeps me up in a kiss, before someone taps on my shoulder. "Hey lovebirds, get in line." Uriah passes us, grinning and I raise my eyebrows. "Fine."

Tobias and I get into line. We're third in line, behind Uriah and Christina.

"Whoa." Christina's eyes grow wide. "Why didn't you guys tell me what would happen before? This looks EPIC!"

"Told you," Uriah says, smiling. I nod and look at her. "Go headfirst. It's makes it so cool." She nods and rocks back and forth excitedly.

"HEY GUYS!" Zeke yells, and slowly everyone quiets down. "If you're dumb and haven't guessed already, we're going to be ziplining down from this hundred story building in the dark. There you go. And we'll be going in order. First, a couple members, then the initiates. Then everyone else. ARE YOU READY?"

Zeke's answered with a chorus of hoots, yells, and whoops. He grins and readies the harness for Uriah. Uriah slips in backwards, facing us. Zeke takes a long time to adjust the straps and Uriah groans. "Come on, Zeke! Hurry up already!"

"Careful Uriah. Remember what I told you last time. Do you really wanna trust the fact that I won't let you go SPLAT?" Zeke smacks his hand down on the railing and Uriah grins.

"Nope. But I can go tell Mom about your threat." Zeke pales and holds out his hand to Uriah. "I'll give you my Dauntless cake for a month. But don't tell her."

"Done."

They shake hands and Zeke's eyes narrow. "You better make good on that promise, little brother." Uriah grins. "Maybe." Zeke's eyes widen and immediately Uriah takes the opportunity to push off. "See you at the bottom!" He flies into the darkness with a last whoop.

"Christina." Zeke nods at her. Her eyes light up as she grins, pushing herself into the harness headfirst. "Hey Tris - Four, meet us at the bottom, kay?" Christina laughs as Zeke pushes her and she disappears into the dark. I see Tobias watching her, and his grip on my hand tightens.

"Four, come on." Zeke readies the next harness. Tobias' grip on my hand is crushing now, and his face is deathly white. "Umm, no sorry - I just remembered. I have... umm... yoga... class." The excuse sounds lame and even Tobias knows it as he casts a pleading look at me.

Zeke looks as if he's not buying it either. "The mighty Four? _Yoga _class?! Come on, Four. As your best mate, trust me. I know you're putting it off because you've never tried it before. But really. It'll be awesome."

Tobias shakes his head vigorously. "Sorry. I-"

"We'll go together." I interrupt. Tobias looks at me in surprise, then his eyes light up in understanding. He nods. "Yeah. We will." Zeke smiles at us. "Sure."

He picks up a big harness with two straps on it and hooks it onto the zipline. "Get in."

I come up on my tiptoes and whisper into Tobias' ear. "It'll be fine. We're going together." He smiles as we ease ourselves into the harness headfirst. I breathe into his ear. "Don't look down. Just look at me. Look into my eyes." Zeke tightens the belt around us, and it's like Tobias just had a reality check. He gasps and looks down before I can stop him, and his eyes grow wide. I put my hand on his cheek and turn his face towards me.

"Shh, it's okay. Look at me. Look at me. I'm here, okay? Just look at me. Don't look down." He nods.

"You guys ready?" Zeke calls.

"Yup!" I answer. "Push us off!"

He pushes our feet and we move off, gathering speed faster and faster. The wind whips my face and stings my eyes as we race through the air. I feel as light as a bird and I can feel my body coursing with adrenaline. I only hope Tobias is feeling the same thing... _Tobias. _Automatically, I turn towards him, just to find him with a big grin on his face.

"THIS IS EPIC!" He yells as we fly through open space. I grin, wider than I ever have before. Our hands entwine as we both turn to the front, embracing the feeling of exhilaration and the time before we reach the ground. The zipline falls lower and lower. Finally, it rattles to a stop on a stretch of open wire. The Dauntless members below cheer and entangle their arms and legs in a human net.

"This is crazy." Tobias says, his mouth falling open. "We're supposed to fall 20 feet into that?"

"After what we just did, do you think that's crazy?" I say, laughing. "Good point." He smiles.

"I have no idea how to undo this. You?" Tobias asks, and I shake my head. "Guess we better just cut it then." He pulls out a knife and tries to position it awkwardly.

"You carried a knife with you to this?" I ask incredulously. "Hey, doesn't hurt to be prepared!" He positions the knife and tears through it in one quick swipe. We're falling through the air until we finally hit the net of human limbs. Tobias laughs as we're emptied to the ground. "Wow."

"So?" Uriah asks, his eyes bright and his hair ruffled. "What did you think?"

I grin at them as I grip Tobias' hand. "Awesome."

We watch the remaining of the initiates and members fly down as they whoop with excitement. Liam, Holly, Alex, Bryan, and Claire came. Claire surprised me. I thought she did everything Britney did - but when I watch her joking and laughing with everyone else, seems just like a normal Dauntless teenager. She walks up to me and nods.

"Hey Six - I'm sorry about the way Britney and I've been behaving. It's extremely tiring for you and I know it. Just to let you know - Britney's not my friend anymore. And I'd like to make it up to you by, well, maybe we could hang out sometime?"

"Sure!" I reply. After all, Claire never really did anything to hurt me much. And she does seem pretty nice and funny.

She grins. "Thanks!" She walks back to the other initiates and I can hear them high - fiving her.

Finally, Zeke comes ziplining down, and everyone's down by the marshes. Everyone has tangled hair and bright eyes, fresh from the exhilaration of the zipline. I see Uriah and wave him over. "That was amazing!" He yells, pumping his fist in the air. "I know right!" I laugh back, giving him a high-five.

I turn to Tobias. "You okay?" I ask, and his eyes light up. "Never better."

My face stretches into a grin. "So, what should we call you, now that you've gotten over a fear? Maybe the name "Three" is more suited for you now." Tobias shakes his head gravely. "I'll always be Instructor Four. And besides, I think I may have accumulated another fear."

"Of what?" I ask playfully. "Spiders?"  
"Of losing you." Tobias' expression is serious as he pulls me into a hug. "I just don't want to ever lose you, okay? Stay with me. Please."

I ruffle his hair as I look into his eyes. "I will. Promise." He grins as he wraps his arms around me. Streaks of pink and orange light fall onto his face. Dawn. He leans toward me and-

We're interrupted by a scream. I whirl around instantly, searching for the source, before my eyes fall on Christina. She has tears running down her face and she's clutching a paper. I see Britney walking away from her, and my eyes grow hard. However, she will have to wait for later. I run towards Christina, shoving people out of my way, before I finally reach her.

"Christina! What's wrong?" She only sobs harder. _Stop it, Tris, you'll only make it worse! _I silently scold myself, and whisper. "Christina, it's okay. You can tell me. I can help you." She shoves the paper towards me and chokes out one word.

"Will."

**A.N./ I'm going to do Tobias' POV of this chapter in the next chapter – I just really want to :D Please review and tell me your thoughts on it! Thank you guys SO MUCH! :D I love you guys. Until next time :D**

**-DauntlessProdigy4Life**


	14. The New Fear

**Ahh guys, I know you all wanted to know what happened to Will, but you'll have to wait one more chapter. As I said in the last chapter, I REALLY wanted to do Tobias' POV, so... yeah :) But I have plenty of free time this week, so I'm guessing you can expect a chapter every two days. **

**Also, please check out DoYouEvenFanfic's ****The Legend and Her Followers****. It's a story about Tris, Tobias, and their kid, Willow, growing up in Dauntless. It's really good and I hope you guys like it too. Oh and also, ****Cocacoriola has amazing stories too, whether you're a fan of Divergent, Harry Potter, or The Mortal Instruments. Okay this is getting too long now - hope you like the next chapter!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Divergent. And I don't own a laptop. Though I really want one. :D**

_**Tobias POV**_

I race after Tris into the dark building. We walk in, our feet crunching on old debris and paper. Tris looks over at me - her eyes concerned. "Are you okay?" She asks.

"Yeah. I won't be in a couple minutes though." I grin, and immediately she sighs in relief. "Good."

We enter the crowded elevator, and it starts it's journey upward with a jerk. This is when I actually feel that I am going to do this. I'm going to go ziplining. _A person who's afraid of heights is willingly going to go ziplining. _Oh my god. I squeeze Tris' hand nervously.

She smiles at me comfortingly. "This is going to be amazing. Trust me, Tobias." I smile back a little nervously. "I know, Tris."

The elevator halts suddenly, and the doors slide open. We pile out into the cool night air, and I watch Tris as her eyes light up. She closes them and throws back her arms and her head. I grin.

"You look like a frog," I joke.

Tris opens her eyes and mock frowns at me. "Well excuse me, it feels good, okay?"

I laugh and pull her into a warm kiss. _God, I love her so much._ Suddenly, Tris pulls away and frowns at Uriah, who's grinning at us. "Hey lovebirds, get in line." She smiles and pulls me into the line. I crane my neck to see how far we are from this death sentence. We're third in line, behind Uriah and Christina.

Christina attempts to see what's going to happen, and suddenly her eyes grow wide. "Whoa. Why didn't you guys tell me what would happen before? This looks EPIC!"

Uriah grins."Told you."

Tris smiles and nods. "Go headfirst. It's makes it so cool." Christina laughs and rocks back and forth

Zeke winks at me then raises his voice. "HEY GUYS! If you're dumb and haven't guessed already, we're going to be ziplining down from this hundred story building in the dark. There you go. And we'll be going in order. First, a couple members, then the initiates. Then everyone else. ARE YOU READY?"

"YEAH!" The Dauntless whoop back, high fiving and slapping each other's backs. Zeke grins. He adjusts the straps on the harness, and Uriah runs up and slips in backwards. Daredevil. I grin as Zeke purposely takes a long time to adjust the straps and Uriah groans. "Come on, Zeke! Hurry up already!"

"Careful Uriah. Remember what I told you last time. Do you really wanna trust the fact that I won't let you go SPLAT?" Zeke smacks his hand down on the railing as Uriah grins, completely unaffected.

"Nope. But I can go tell Mom about your threat." _Ahh, nice one. Zeke has taught you well. _Zeke pales and holds out his hand to Uriah. "I'll give you my Dauntless cake for a month. But don't tell her."

"Done."

They shake hands and Zeke's eyes narrow. "You better make good on that promise, little brother." Uriah laughs and answers, "Maybe." I grin as Zeke's expression morphs into shock. Immediately, Uriah pushes himself off. "See you at the bottom!" He flies away with a last whoop. Tris grins as I wrap an arm around her.

"Christina." Her eyes light up as she grins, pushing herself into the harness headfirst. "Hey Tris - Four, meet us at the bottom, kay?" _How is she not scared? _Zeke pushes her and she zooms off. I tighten my grip on Tris' hand involuntarily. I can't do this. I need her.

"Four, come on." Zeke nods at me as he hooks on a third harness. This is bad. _What have I gotten myself into?_ I hold Tris' hand in a crushing grip as if I can't let go of her. She gives me a concerned look as I improvise on the spot. Anything to get out of it.

"Umm, no sorry - I just remembered. I have... umm... yoga... class." Even as I say it, I know it sounds lame. I'm talking to Zeke. The prankster and lying master. I cast a pleading look at Tris and she looks at me sadly.

Zeke looks as if he's not buying it either. "The mighty Four? _Yoga _class?! Come on, Four. As your best mate, trust me. I know you're putting it off because you've never tried it before. But really. It'll be awesome."

I shake his head firmly. "Sorry. I-"

"We'll go together." Tris interrupts, and I look at her in surprise. _It's like when she stood in for Al. She's my selfless girl. _I smile and nod. "Yeah. We will." Zeke grins. "Sure."

He picks up a harness with two straps on it and hooks it onto the zipline. "Get in."

Tris comes up on her tiptoes and whispers into my ear. "It'll be fine. We're going together." I smile and mouth "Thank you" as we ease ourselves into the harness headfirst. I feel my heartbeat speed up immediately, and Tris breathes softly into my ear. "Don't look down. Just look at me. Look into my eyes." Zeke pulls the belt tightly around us, and I gasp. _I'm really doing this. _My eyes shift downward automatically, and my expression morphs into shock. I can't see the bottom. _I can't see the bottom. _The seemingly bottomless void drops away into a pitch dark chasm. I scrabble at the straps fearfully before I feel a warm hand on my cheek.

Tris smiles warmly at me. "Shh, it's okay. Look at me. Look at me. I'm here, okay? Just look at me. Don't look down." I nod and stare into her clear blue eyes.

"You guys ready?" I hear Zeke call. _No._

"Yup!" Tris yells. "Push us off!"

Zeke pushes our feet and we move off, gathering speed faster and faster. I have my eyes shut tightly closed as I feel the wind whipping at my face and tearing at my eyelids. Faintly, I hear Tris give a whoop and immediately the corners of my mouth turn up in a smile. I love seeing her happy. Involuntarily, my eyes open and I watch Tris - her blonde hair flying, her eyes bright and alert. She's ziplining. _We're ziplining. _

The reality hits me like a brick wall. I slowly turn my head to the front and open my eyes cautiously. It's... wow.

The wind whips at my clothes and my hair as my eyes light up. The night sky stretches out in front of me, a dark blue landscape flecked with silver, and the cityscape below. My hands tingle with cold and warmth at the same time. It's the exhilaration of being up here, of flying through the air like a bird. And yes, I admit. It's kind of thrilling to be up here and to get this feeling that you're unstoppable. A grin stretches out on my face as I yell. "THIS IS EPIC!"

Tris turns toward me, a huge smile on her face. Our hands entwine as we zoom through the air, relishing the last moments before the zipline stops. Finally, it falls lower and lower, and then rattles shakily to a stop. That was... _terrifying. _And amazing.

The Dauntless members whoop and pump their fists in the air. They twine their arms and legs together to form a sort of human net.

"This is crazy. We're supposed to fall 20 feet into _that_?" My mouth falls open as I stare.

Tris laughs before replying. "Tobias. After what we just did, do you think that's crazy?"

I grin. "Good point." I fiddle around with the straps, before giving up.

"I have no idea how to undo this. You?" I ask, and Tris shakes her head. "Guess we better just cut it then." I shrug while pulling out a knife and trying to cut the rope. Tris' eyes widen.

"You carried a knife with you to this?" She asks incredulously. _Ever the perfect instructor._ I smile inwardly, before replying. "Hey, doesn't hurt to be prepared!"

With one quick stroke, I sever the strap and we fall through open space, the straps still holding us together. It seems to last only a moment before we fall into the human net, arms and legs pressing into my back. We're emptied to the ground immediately, and I laugh. "Wow."

Uriah bounces up immediately, and I am immediately on my guard. I still don't know if he'll try to take Tris from me. But he grins, his eyes wide. "So? What did you think?"

Tris laughs as she grips my hand tighter. "Awesome."

We watch and participate in the net as the Dauntless start flying down. By a couple hours, everyone's down, including Liam, Holly, Bryan, Alex, and Claire. Well, if Claire's doing something other than messing with Tris, I'm fine with her being here. Suddenly, she walks up to Tris, and I tense, immediately on my guard. However, when she speaks - her tone is friendly.

"Hey Six - I'm sorry about the way Britney and I've been behaving. It's extremely tiring for you and I know it. Just to let you know - Britney's not my friend anymore. And I'd like to make it up to you by, well, maybe we could hang out sometime?"

"Sure!" Tris replies immediately.

She grins. "Thanks!" She walks back to the other initiates and I can hear them high - fiving her.

Zeke finally flies down after an hour or so. Everyone gives a whoop and starts cheering, fresh and bright eyed. Uriah and Marlene run over, and Uriah pumps his fist in air. "THAT WAS AMAZING!" Tris laughs and nods excitedly. "I know, right!" She high fives him and they run away, cheering. Tris turns to me.

"You okay?" She asks, a hint of worry in her voice.

"Never better." As she smiles and holds my hand, all I can think of is how fragile she seems to me, and how I don't want to lose her. She's my family now. Tris grins mischievously. "So, what should we call you, now that you've gotten over a fear? Maybe the name "Three" is more suited for you now."

I shake my head, trying and failing to maintain a serious expression. "I'll always be Instructor Four. And besides, I think I may have accumulated another fear." _Tris._

"Of what?" She asks playfully, raising her eyebrows. "Spiders?"

"Of losing you." My tone is serious as I fold her into another hug. "I just don't want to ever lose you, okay? Stay with me. Please."

I can't tell what she's thinking as she looks up into my eyes. "I will. Promise." I grin, the same thought in both our minds. _I love you so much. _I lean towards her for a kiss, when-

"NO!" A scream rises from somewhere in the crowd as the Dauntless turn around in confusion. Tris' eyes grow wide as she whips around, searching for the source. She must have found it, because her eyes grow hard and her body tenses up. And then she's running, shoving people out of her way, and I follow her because I need to see what has made her so upset.

Tris kneels beside Christina, who has tears running down her face. She's clutching a soggy piece of paper. I stare as Tris makes futile attempts to try and help Christina. _What happened? _I scan the crowd, and suddenly see Britney walking away with a smirk on her face.

"Tris!" I call, but she doesn't hear me. Tris' eyes are fixed on Christina, as she forces out a single word.

"Will."

**Hope you liked it! :D Oh by the way - I already have the next chapter planned out and partially written, as in I've decided what's going to happen to Will. But what are your guys' ideas on what might happen to him? Anyway, thanks so much for reading! Until next time:**

**~DauntlessProdigy4Life**


	15. Betrayals and Proposals

**Thanks for all the reviews! And 32,000 views… Wow. Just wow. :D Thanks! I hope you guys like the next chapter. Lots of drama. :P**

**Disclaimer: If you don't know the drill now, I don't own Divergent. **

Christina shoves the note at me as tears continue to roll down her face. I can hear her mumbling faintly. "I'm Dauntless. Dauntless don't cry." But she puts her head in her hands, her body shaking softly with sobs. I lower my eyes to the note and scan it quickly.

_Christina:_

_I'll make this to the point. I'm leaving you for Britney. She's smart, funny, and way more beautiful than you could ever be. I just never felt right being with you when she was always by my side. More than you. So this is goodbye._

_-Will_

_What? _I read the note one more time, the message not quite sinking in. Christina stands up and looks up at me, her face tear-stained and her makeup smudged. "He was never really in love with me," she murmurs. Her head drops and she stares at the ground. I look up in shock, my mouth opening. No words come out. When I finally speak, my voice is hard.

"He doesn't deserve you." Christina looks up in surprise as I continue. "If Will really wrote this, then he's not good enough for you. You can find someone else way better than him. He just doesn't appreciate how amazing you are. Chris? You hear me?"  
She nods, wiping her face with a sleeve. "Thanks Tris. But.. but I still can't believe that he wrote that. I mean, we were just together yesterday! He's such a-"

I cut her off. "Hey, why don't we go talk to him right now? I'd like to see him stand up to you when you're mad." Christina breaks into a slow smile. "Yeah."

I put my arm around her shoulders and turn to Tobias. "Hey, can you go ahead? Find Will. Oh - and tell the initiates they have the day off today." He nods and whispers in my ear. "I'm proud of you, Tris." I smile before pushing him away. "Go!" He leaves, laughing.

I immediately turn to Christina. "Let's go."

**. . .**

We spend the whole train ride back wondering what could have possessed Will to write that note. Well, I did the wondering. Christina was mostly plotting ways to get revenge on him. Of course, they were all extremely off topic.

"All right, so Tris, you'll be waiting for him at the cafeteria door. Then as soon as he walks him, dive on top of him and pin him down, so I'll have a good shot with my peanut butter bombs. And then he'll get up... did I mention he'll be covered in peanut butter? Oh, I have another idea! He won't be able to get up because the peanut butter will be mixed with glue. And then we'll drench him with water and-"

"Christina, really?"

"No." She admits, as I smile to myself. "I just feel so... I don't know what I'm feeling. Angry? Sad? Rebellious? I just need to find Will and tell him what I think."

The train begins to screech as we round the tracks toward Dauntless headquarters. "Why don't you go tell him now?"

"I think I will."

We leap off the train and start running towards the Pit. Christina flies toward it like the wind and I have to race extra hard to keep up with her. We race into the cafeteria, where she finally stops. I bend over, wheezing. "God Chris, what's gotten into you?"  
She shrugs but doesn't answer as she scans the crowd. After a couple seconds, she slumps down onto a bench. "He's not here."

"Who's not here?" Zeke plops down across from us, immediately followed by Uriah, Marlene, Lynn, and a grinning Tobias.

Uriah raises his eyebrows. "Will - duh. Weren't you listening to Four?"

Zeke makes the "oh" face. "Right! Will broke up with Christina for Britney and now she's all mad and looking for revenge."

Christina mulls over what he said. "Pretty much. Well, it seems kind of awkward when you say it like that..."

I snap my fingers in front of her face. "Hey guys, focus!"

Zeke grins. "But seriously. That's just not cool."

"Right. Oh by the way, Will said he would meet us at the cafeteria. And he sounded like he literally had no idea why." Tobias informs us, and Christina rolls her eyes. "Wow."

We make idle chit chat for a couple minutes until I hear a voice behind me. "Sup guys. Hey Christina!" _Will._

I turn around instantly, my eyes growing hard. "Christina."

"What?" She asks, swiveling around. The second she makes eye contact with Will, her hands curl into fists and she stands up. "You have the nerve to come here and to talk to us?" she yells, and the cafeteria grows silent instantaneously.

"What?" Will asks.

"Don't pretend you don't know what I'm talking about." Everyone has wide eyes, staring back and forth between Christina and Will.

"I don't!" Will says, his voice growing louder now. "What are you talking about, Chris?"

"Don't call me that!" She yells, her voice shaking. "Just explain THIS!" She pushes the note at him. Will's eyes widen. "But... baby... I thought you would be happy with this! It's true! I love you!"

Christina crosses her arms. "Happy?" She asks. "Happy with THAT? Just read it and tell me what's happy about it!"

Will's expression grows hard. "Fine." He smoothes out the paper and scans it. As he reads, his expression becomes more and more ashen. It flutters from his hand to the ground, and he looks up, his face white. "Chris-"

"I told you not to call me that!" She says. "Now just tell me. Just one question. _Why?_"

"Chris, I-"

"WILL-"

"GOD CHRIS, JUST LISTEN TO ME ALREADY!" Will yells. "I didn't write that!"

A ringing silence fills the room. Christina's voice breaks on her next words. "You... you didn't?"

"No." Will's voice suddenly sounds tired. "I gave a note to Britney to give to you. And trust me, it wasn't that one." His voice hardens. "I can't believe she switched them. That little... Anyway. Listen Christina. That note was created by a jealous girl. Jealous of your happiness. Jealous of how beautiful you are. Jealous of how amazing you are. The note I sent to you was to tell you to meet me in the Pit for... something. But I think it's fitting to do it now." Christina's eyes widen as Will pulls out a small blue box and gets down one knee.

"Christina Taylor Ross. You have brightened my world since the moment I first met you in initiation. I loved the sound of your laugh, and I was in heaven when you told me you would be my girlfriend. I have loved you for as long as I have known you, and my heart nearly broke just now when... when you told me you didn't love me." Will swallows and continues, looking up at Christina with bright eyes. "I love you so much. Will you do me the honor of marrying me?"

Christina looks at Will as if she can't quite believe it. She looks at me, her eyes wide. I smile at her and she looks back at Will, her expression filled with happiness.

"Yes."

**Well, this chapter was just a bunch of Chrill drama But I hope you guys liked it! Please leave a review and tell me what you think. Until next time:**

**~DauntlessProdigy4Life**


	16. Fun

**Thanks for all the reviews! :D This chapter isn't as long as the other ones, but I'll make up for it in the next chapter. I hope you like it!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Divergent. The usual.**

* * *

"Congratulations!" I say, smiling. They look up and say, "Thanks!" simultaneously. Christina looks down at her finger and twists the ring around and around. It's a thin golden band with a black rhinestone gem set on top, and two small white pearls on each side. For Candor and Dauntless.

"I just can't believe it." She murmurs, as if in a dream. Will tucks an arm around her, grinning. "Well, I knew we were meant to be forever, so I figured, why wait?"

"Aww, that's so sweet! So when's the big day?" Marlene chimes in.

Will shrugs. "I have no idea." He says, grinning. "Maybe in a year or so?"

"Yeah, that sounds good." Christina smiles. "We'll be eighteen. Perfect!"

"Ugh, what girly stuff." Uriah comes up behind Marlene and wraps his arms around her. Will frowns. "Excuse me?"

"Hey man, just joking around. No big deal!" Uriah holds his hands up in surrender. "So, what do you guys wanna do today?"

"Today?" Marlene asks, confused. "Yeah, today. It's morning, smart one." Uriah retaliates, laughing. She grins. "Ohhh."

"We can go shopping!" Christina crows. "Of course, I bet you all want to come with me. Don't you?" She stares daggers as us as I smile inwardly.

"Well, that's not good. Because I know exactly what we should do!" Uriah grins, and we all stare at him in surprise. Tobias raises an eyebrow. "You do?"

"We're gonna go bowling!" He whoops. "Now guys, don't tell me you don't want to. Deep down inside you, you know you want to."

"Somewhere." Tobias repeats. "Deep down."

"Yeah, so deep down it might not even exist." I laugh, slapping Uriah's arm. He cradles it in mock hurt. "Fine! But you guys are coming, whether you like it or not."

"And what about shopping?" Christina asks, crossing her arms.

"We'll do that later." Uriah answers quickly. "Promise!"

"Good." Christina grins, and Will tucks his arm around her shoulders. "That's my girl." He laughs.

"Wait, so where is the bowling alley?" I ask. Uriah looks shocked. "You haven't seen it yet?" I shake my head. He grins before replying. "It's near the Pit. I'll show you. So you guys wanna go today? We can meet there in an hour or so."

"Kay." Marlene says. "See you guys later!" She and Uriah leave, and Christina and Will quickly follow them. I look up at Tobias, and he smiles down at me.

"Let's go back to the apartment."

"But what about breakfast?" I whine. "Toby!"

"Trissy!" He imitates my tone, hiding a smile. "Fine, go get a muffin."

I smile and grab 2 blueberry muffins, before running back to Tobias. We walk back to our apartment, chatting idly about the initiates. Tobias opens the door, and goes in. I follow him in and lock the door. Tobias stretches himself out on the bed and closes his eyes.

"C'mere Tris." He pats a spot on the bed next to him, and I ignore it as I plop myself down on top of him. "Hey!"

I smile. "Are you sure you want me to move?"

He yawns. "You're right. Stay here." He wraps his arms around me and snuggles his face into my hair as I stifle a grin.

We spend the next hour or so talking and cuddling, before someone bangs on the door.

"TRIS! FOUR! WHERE ARE YOU GUYS?" I groan.

"COMING!" I yell back sluggishly. I make it to the door and unlock it. Before I can open it, it's thrown open by someone else.

"Tris, come on! I'm not leaving you behind. Besides, you HAVE to come! Remember, the shopping center is right next to the bowling alley! And-"

"Christina, I'll come. Just... gimme a minute, okay?"

"Okay." Christina steps back, but when I attempt to close the door, she holds it open and grins. "Nope. I'm watching you, girl."

"Fine." I walk to the bathroom and throw on a black top that hangs off one shoulder. I put on a pair of denim shorts and converse, before going to wake up Tobias.

"Tobias, wake up!" I say in a sing-songy voice. He sticks his tongue out at me, eyes still closed, and cuddles down into the pillow. I smile and pull the blanket off, and he sits straight up, eyes open wide. "Tris! Don't DO that!"

"Come on," I laugh. "Bowling alley, remember?"

"Ugh, okay." He rolls out of bed and pulls on a t-shirt. I grab his hand and pull him toward the doorway, where Christina is still waiting. "THERE you are." She says, a trace of impatience in her voice. "Let's go!"

We fly down the halls and into the Pit, where Uriah, Will, Zeke, Marlene, Shauna, and Lynn are waiting.

"Finally," Marlene grins. "Thought you'd never get here."

I smirk. "Four was sleepy."

"No I wasn't!" Tobias protests.

"Yeah, right." Christina laughs. "Come on guys. It's 11:00, and that means we only have 9 hours to do both the bowling alley and shopping center! We have to go!" Without another word, she takes off running, and we all gape at her.

"9 hours? ONLY?!" Uriah asks incredulously, and I shrug. "You know Christina."

We sprint after her to catch up. The path we're taking is towards the train tracks, and - sure enough - we fly out into the warm sun in a couple seconds. The train comes roaring down, and I swing myself into a car, quickly followed by everyone else.

Almost immediately, Uriah's at the opening, bracing himself to jump out. "Already?" I yell over the wind, and he nods, shading his eyes. He jumps out and I quickly wobble to my feet to follow. Tobias grips my hand and smiles at me. I return the smile, and we leap out of the car, landing a little unsteadily on our feet.

"Come on, guys!" Uriah yells, as he runs toward a tall black dome like building with an arched entrance. As we get closer and closer, I can faintly hear music and cheers. We slow down, looking around, and Uriah grins. "And now, my friends, welcome to the Dauntless Bowling Alley."

* * *

**A.N./ Not too long this time ;) But I hope you all liked it! Leave a review and tell me your thoughts. I'll be updating soon, probably within a couple days. Oh and also, I got a guest reviewer giving me ideas on what should happen to Britney. Truth is, I haven't really thought about it ;) So what do you guys think should happen? Thanks :D Until next time:**

**~DauntlessProdigy4Life**


	17. Bowling

**I'm back! :D And thanks SO much for all the reviews!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Divergent.**

"Tickets for 9." Uriah says. The Dauntless man nods and pulls out a set of tickets, handing them to us.

"Let's go!" Uriah laughs, bounding into the building. We follow him into... _whoa._

Colorful strobe lights flash everywhere, making it hard to see clearly. It's packed with people dancing and cheering as a flashing board lights up with the word, "STRIKE!". The building is round, and one side is lit up with fluorescent lights - the bowling lanes. The other side is dark but crisscrossed with colorful lights.

"Wow." Christina echoes my thoughts as we stare, jaws dropped, at the scene in front of us.

Zeke, Marlene, Lynn, and Shauna are the only ones other than Uriah who seem to be at home here. "Woohoo!" Zeke shouts. "Catch you guys later, kay?" He runs off into the crowd and disappears.

"So..." Will walks over to us, shrugging. "Any idea what we're supposed to do?"

Uriah suddenly appears in front of us. "Let's go get our bowling shoes!"

"Bowling shoes?" I ask, confused. Uriah stops, staring at me incredulously. "Wow, Stiffs really _don't _do anything exciting. They're to help us bowl. Duh! But Tris, trust me. You're gonna love this." He leads us over to a high counter where a woman turns to us. "Can I help you?"

"Tori!" I say, and Tori squints at us, then smiles in recognition. "Tris! Hey!"

"What are you doing here?" I ask.

"Oh, I work here occasionally. A break from the tattoo parlor, you know. But anyway, what size shoes for you guys?"

I check the chart, then look up and answer. "Size 5." Uriah grins. "Shortie."

I slap his arm. "Shut up!"

"Okay, okay."

Tori returns with a pair of red and white shoes, and I take them. "Thanks!"

Christina shudders. "THOSE are bowling shoes? Are they required?"

"Yup." Tori laughs. "If, of course, you want to go bowling."

Christina closes her eyes. "Fine. Get me a size 6."

Tori smiles before ducking down and retrieving another pair of shoes.

A pair of arms snuggle around me. "I'll help you put those on." I turn around and look into Tobias' deep blue eyes. "You're not going?" He shakes his head. "Nah."

"Aww, please?" I pout, and he pretends to consider it. "Oh, maybe."

"Pleaseeeeeee?" He sighs and rolls his eyes. "Here goes nothing."

"Yes!" I turn around to Tori. "Get him a size... umm..." I turn around to Tobias. "What size are you?" I whisper. "Ask for a size 12." He grins, and I pass on the message to Tori.

"Here you go!" She says, handing him a replica of my shoes, though bigger.

We leave the counter and I plop down in a sweaty seat. I pull off my boots, feeling the scratchy red carpet against my foot, and pull on the new bowling shoes. Christina sucks in her breath. "Why do they have to be so UGLY?" She complains. "The least they could do is make them nicer! At least add a couple rhinestones or something!" I stifle a smile and reply. "It's only for an hour, Chris. Bear with it."

Tobias, Will, Christina and I make our way towards the bowling lanes. The others seem to have disappeared. "So, does anyone wanna give it a go?" Will asks.

"I'll do it!" Christina smiles. She walks over to a cabinet and pulls out a bowling ball. "Come on Christina!" I yell, and she grins as she walks over to a lane and steps onto the polished hardwood floor. She narrows her eyes, and then steps forward and releases the ball with a perfect stance. It rolls forward and crashes into the pins, leaving all but two standing. "Yeah!" Everyone cheers, and she laughs and gives a mock bow.

"Thank you, thank you. No autographs please." Christina grins, and turns to me. "Tris, your turn!"

"Oh, um, okay." I pull out a bowling ball from the glass cabinet, and immediately my arms feel like they're going to fall off. "How do you guys hold these things?" I groan, as Will stifles a smile. Tobias gets up and walks over to me. "Here, Tris. Grip it like this. Your thumb and three middle fingers go in the slots." I do as he says, and look up at him. "How do even know how to bowl?"

He smirks. "I've been here before, Tris."

"Oh."

Tobias laughs and puts his hand on my arm. Heat spreads from the place where his fingers touch, and I blush as I turn my head to look at him. Tobias pecks my forehead with a light kiss. "Later," he grins. My face heats up instantly as Christina tilts her head, a slight smile on her face.

"Okay, so adjust your feet so that you can take a couple steps and then slide on your last step. Remember to follow through with your arm and keep your hips square to the target." Tobias steps back, his arms crossed and eyes watchful. "Try it."

I grip the bowling ball tightly as I shuffle my feet and look up. The target. A set of neat white pins ringed with red stripes. _You can do this, Tris. _I clench my fists before starting my approach. I run a few steps before planting one foot and rolling the ball forward, remembering to follow through like Tobias said. The ball smashes straight into the center of the pins, and one by one, as if in slow motion, each pin wobbles and falls over until finally, none are left standing.

A dead silence ensues. Expressions vary as everyone stares at the empty floor, and then their eyes move up to the neon board flashing, "STRIKE!". And then, all at once, the cheering begins.

**It's kind of a weird way to end it XD but I still hope you guys liked it Please review and give me your ideas and input. Thanks! :D I'll have the next chapter up soon. Until next time:**

**~DauntlessProdigy4Life**


	18. The Date

**Hi! First off, I am SO SORRY that this update took so long! I wasn't too sure how I wanted this chapter to go – combine that with extremely little time, and you get a long wait. Sorry But I promise I'll try harder for faster updates. And this chapter is the longest ever - almost 4000 words! :D I love you guys. Thanks so much for reading, and for getting this story to 50,000 views!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Divergent. Veronica Roth does. Nothing's changed **

"Tris! How'd you do that?" Christina appears next to me, and she raises her eyebrows. I shrug, grinning. "No idea."

"Wow." The voice comes from behind me, and I turn, confused. My eyes land on Claire and Holly, their eyes wide and jaws dropped. "That was..." Holly starts.

"Awesome." Claire finishes.

"Thanks!" I laugh, and they grin and give me high fives. Suddenly, Christina's eyes go wide and she lets out a little shriek. "You guys should come shopping with us!"

"What?" Holly asks.

"Shopping! You can help me pick out clothes for Tri... Six. Honestly, she is SUCH a pain when it comes to clothes."

"Hey!" I protest, and Holly stifles a smile. "I think Claire might be more of a help with that than I will." She leans over to me and whispers. "Shopping's a pain. High five." I grin and give her a thumbs up.

"So?" Christina asks. "You guys wanna leave? Never too early to start!"

"Yeah - sure!" Claire says, and we leave the bowling lanes behind. Suddenly, I'm interrupted by a shout of "Six!". I turn around, scanning the crowd, and suddenly a tall figure emerges. Tobias. I turn back to the others. "Hey, I'll catch up with you outside."

"Sure! Oh, and I'll get Marlene." Christina disappear into the crowd and I turn back to Tobias.

"So, Tris," he begins. "Do you want to go out this evening? Well, more like night. But do you?"

"Sure!" I smile, and he grins. "Where?" I ask.

"Umm, can't tell you." Tobias smiles mischieviously. "Just wear something nice, okay? Nicer than usual, you know-" He's cut off when I playfully slap his arm and his eyes widen. "Oh, it's not like you don't always look nice; just a nice dress, okay? Like formal."

"Fine." I pout and he pulls me into a hug. "I love you," he whispers quietly. I can feel his warm breath tickling my neck as he buries his face in my hair. "I love you too." I lean against him, feeling his chest against my own.

"Do you have to go now?" He asks.

"Yeah." I pull away from him softly. "See you this evening, okay?" Tobias winks and waves at me. Laughing, I wave back and duck out of the building into the hot afternoon sun. Immediately, I hear a yell, and I turn to see Christina, Holly, Marlene, and Claire standing in front of the train tracks. Christina cups her hands around her mouth and yells again. "Quick! The train's coming!"

I break into a sprint, racing towards the train tracks as an loud whistle sounds. "Come on, Six!" Holly calls, as they jump into the train car. I fly towards the train and haul myself in at the last second, coughing because of all the dust. I collapse into a corner.

"Why is it so HOT?" I complain, mopping my forehead with a sleeve. Claire smiles and hands me a water bottle. I sigh gratefully and hold it to my lips, letting the cold water run down my parched throat. I close my eyes peacefully, before I'm interrupted by a voice. "Anyway, what did Four want?"

I smile despite of myself. "We're going somewhere as a surprise this evening."

"Ooh, really?" Marlene leans forward, her eyes bright. "Sounds like a date!"

"And I bet I know why." Christina smirks as she holds out her right hand, her engagement ring glittering on one finger.

"Oh." I can feel redness flooding my cheeks as I look down. "Are you sure?"

"It's possible, but you can't be too sure," Holly says matter of factly.

"Come on!" Christina jokes.

"I just... I don't know if I'm ready for that." I say. "It's complicated."

Marlene rolls her eyes and leans back. "Let's see. You love him, he loves you. It works out, really."

"All right," I concede.

"So, Tris, what-" Christina falters as she notices Holly and Claire staring at us, wide eyed. "Tris?" Holly asks, cocking her head to the side. Christina's eyes widen and she turns to me. "I'm so sorry!" She whispers.

"No, it's okay." I say. "About time they knew." I grin at Holly and Claire, who look dumbfounded.

"Wait, so Six isn't your real name?" Claire asks. Holly rolls her eyes as she turns to her. "Duh!"

Claire laughs. "So you trust us with your name? That's... really nice of you." She smiles at me.

I smile back. "I trust you guys."

"Thanks!" Holly replies, her face breaking out into a grin.

Christina peers outside. "Hey guys, we're here. Let's go! Move it, people!" She hops up and is out the car door in a flash.

I groan. "Always in a hurry."

Marlene grins as she totters unsteadily to the door. "Better not keep her waiting!" She jumps out, pausing to wave at us. I slowly get up and walk over to the door. I let the cool air brush my cheeks before I jump out. There's a moment where I hang suspended in air, weightless, before gravity pulls me down and my feet slam onto the ground. I jog back to Christina and Marlene, followed by Holly and Claire.

"Let's go!" Christina grins. She leads us back down into the Pit and through a series of brightly lit passageways before we emerge into a small, dusty shop. The walls are covered in a thick layer of spiderwebs and dust, and the clothes hanging on the rack are moth-eaten and dirty.

Holly raises her eyebrows. "This is the shopping center?" She asks in disbelief. She turns to me, and I shrug. I've never heard of it, being Abnegation and all.

Christina looks at us in shock. "My grasshoppers. You have been deprived of your childhood! This isn't it." She led us toward a set of thick wooden double doors at the end of the store, and threw them open with a flourish. "THIS is."

Light streams through the doorway, and I shade my eyes immediately. "Wait - what?"

"Come on!" Claire bounces through the entrance, and I carefully follow her. "What is... wow."

The dim passageway had blossomed out into a giant building made completely of glass. Warm sunlight falls down through the glass squares on top and arranges itself on the ground in a pattern. The glass hall extends down as far as you can see, and is filled with people of mixed faction colors. Well, all except for gray. The thought makes me smile, a familiar memory of selflessness.

Christina smiles. "NOW you get it? You have been missing out on this, Tris. It's like a rule or something! You didn't _ever _visit the mall before the Choosing Ceremony?"

"Nope," I answer, still stunned. "I've never even heard of it before."

Christina shakes her head, laughing. "No. No. I can't believe it." Holly laughs. "I don't think I've ever been here before either."

"SERIOUSLY?" Christina exclaims in shock. "Come with me. You guys are getting a private tour, courtesy of Christina, etc, etc. Now come on!" She totters forward in her high heels surprisingly quickly.

She grabs my hand and pulls me forward, which startles me out of my shock. I walk forward slowly, turning my head a million times to look at everything. There's a whole store dedicated to Amity clothing - it's filled with vibrant reds and bright yellows. Two Amity women walk out of it arm in arm, laughing and carrying shopping bags.

"How did I never hear of this place?" I wonder aloud, and Marlene turns back to look at me. "Well, you _were _Abnegation, right? The Stiff." She smirks, and I grin. "I guess."

"Come on in!" Christina yells from the front. She makes a beeline for a dim store to our right, and we follow her in. I stop next to her, and she sighs. "Shopping. There's no better feeling!"

I smile. "Okay." She turns in shock. "Seriously? You're okay with this?"

"I guess," I smile.

"Perfect!" Christina squeals. "You know, I think I'll let you pick out what you want. Your clothes, you know."

"Sure." I walk over to a rack of denim clothing and aimlessly sort through the clothes, my mind not really on them. It keeps running back to Tobias. _Why didn't he tell me why we're going?_

"Tris!" Christina appears next to me. She points at me accusingly. "You're not even DOING anything!"

I give her a half smile. "Sorry Chris, I'm just really out of it today."

Her face softens and she hugs me. "Okay. Want to find something really nice for your date? I bet he'll love it."

I look up, smiling. "Christina, I love you. Thanks!"

She grins in reply. "See, this is why I'm your best friend. You'll feel SO much better with new clothes!"

"Yeah, right." I grin. "But seriously - thanks, Chris."  
Christina gives me a smile before grabbing my hand and leading me over to the other side of the store, which is filled with satiny dresses in a rainbow of colors. "We'll find the perfect one here," Christina says, and I have to smile at her determination.

**. . .**

I spin once in front of the mirror, letting the smooth fabric billow out around me. I halt in front of the mirror, gazing intently at my reflection, before Christina appears next to me. "It's perfect!" She clasps her hands together pleadingly and looks at me. "I love it," I say, a big grin on my face.

I have on a light ice blue strapless dress with a white leather belt around the middle. The front hangs a little above my knees, and the back falls down in ruffles below my ankle. Christina gave me strappy silver shoes and a diamond white clutch purse to add to the effect. It's the most beautiful thing I've ever worn.

"You like it?" Christina asks, her face stretching into a smile. "Oh my god, Tris likes something I like! This is a historic day!" She pulls out her phone and takes a picture of me. "Just for memories," she says, smiling.

"So, you think I look okay?" I ask, a little nervous. "It's in half an hour. To... Four told me to meet him outside the Pit at 10:00."

"You look great," Christina says firmly, crossing her arms. "Or do you doubt the opinion of the amazingly talented fashion expert standing right here? Who, by the way, is not you."

"I trust you," I say, laughing. "I think I should go now. Chris, thank you SO much."

Christina throws her arms around me. "Anytime!" She smiles.

I make my way out of the store and down to the train tracks, being careful not to step on my dress. As a last thought, I pick up my leather jacket from the bowling center and put it on as I walk down to the tracks. The cool evening air makes me shiver a little, and I pull the jacket tighter around me and walk quickly. A loud screech indicates that the train is coming, and I pull up the hem of my dress to awkwardly jump into the train car. The ride is a short one, and I spend the whole time thinking about the "date". _Why'd he just call one so suddenly?_

I barely even notice jumping off the train and walking to the Pit. As I get closer, I'm suddenly nervous about what possibilities this event might hold. It's endless, and my mind begins wandering nervously. As I walk down the hallway towards the Pit, I see someone leaning against the wall. Tobias turns to face me, a smile lighting his face. He's wearing a neat black tux and black leather shoes. "Hi," he says, smiling. "Wow, Tris. That's... beautiful."

I blush. "Thanks! So, where're we going?"

Tobias' smile brightens. "Somewhere over the rainbow." My eyes widen and then I groan. "Ugh!" I slap his arm and he draws away, laughing. "Let's go."

Tobias leads me back outside towards a silver car adorned with glowing blue lines. He motions to me to get inside, and I put my hand on the car door, confused.

"Isn't this an Erudite car?" I ask, and Tobias nods in confirmation. "Yeah. But Dauntless leaders, remember?" He grins, and I roll my eyes before getting in. Tobias starts the car with ease, and it moves off with a low hum, barely louder than a summer breeze. I stroke the polished windows, smiling faintly. "I didn't know you knew how to drive."

Tobias grins. "I don't. But it's easy enough." I turn to him in shock. "Seriously?"

"No," he says, laughing. "I practiced for a couple months so I could go out driving around the city instead of walking to wherever Eric sends me."

I relax visibly. "Good. As long as you don't get us killed." Tobias puts one hand to his heart and feigns mock hurt. "As if!"

The rest of the ride is smooth and we pass the time in pleasant silence. I look out the window and watch the buildings flashing by. The sky is a deep indigo blue, and covered with tiny silver stars. After a couple minutes, Tobias halts the car.

"Are we there?" I ask, craning my neck to look outside. He shakes his head. "Nope," he answers. "I just need you to be blindfolded so you can't peek."

I pout. "Aww!" Tobias grins but holds up a strip of thick black cloth anyway. "Sorry." He ties it around the upper half of my face, double looping it as an extra precaution.

"Good," he says, sounding satisfied. "We can go now." A low hum begins again, so I assume he started up the car. We start moving, and I sigh. "Are we there yet?"

"Soon." Tobias answers, sounding amused. I lean back, aching to see where we are.

"Now?" I ask again.

"Nope," he says. "Close though."

After a couple minutes, I ask a final time. "Now?"

"Yeah, we actually are." Tobias says. I can imagine him grinning. "All right, I'll open the door and help you out."

I hear the slam of a car door, and then footsteps as he walks around to my side. "Here, be careful. The ground's a little bumpy." _Bumpy. _Are we in the mountains or something?

I step down and immediately feel the scratch of grass touching my ankle. "Follow me," Tobias says. I awkwardly follow him, stumbling on rough bits of ground. After a couple seconds, my slippers start clicking on a smooth marble floor, and then Tobias brings me to a halt.

"You can look now," he says in a hopeful voice. I fumble eagerly with the blindfold to no avail, and he stops me. "Let me," he says gently. He slips his slender fingers into the cloth and pulls it off. I look around eagerly and my mouth drops open in shock.

We're in front of a small pavilion lit with small hanging lights and lanterns. It's surrounded by apple trees and sweet-smelling purple flowers. In the middle is a table draped with a white tablecloth, set for two. There's a small candle in the center, flickering lightly. Now that the blindfold is off, faint sounds of laughter and clinking glasses drift to my ears. I can't speak as my eyes devour the beautiful scene in front of me.

"We're in Amity, by the way," Tobias says shyly, nodding at the sounds of laughter. "A call to Robert, this wasn't too hard to set up. I hope you like it - you know - it was kind of last minute -"

He's cut off when I step forward and throw my arms around him, pressing my lips to his. He returns the kiss after a moment, tightening his arms around me. "So, shall we eat?" He murmurs against my lips, and I smile. "I would love that."

Tobias leads me to the table, and pulls out my chair for me. "My lady," he smiles, bowing. I sit down gracefully. "You are dismissed, sir." I say, waving my hand, and he grins. "Okay."

Tobias settles across from me and claps his hands. A figure emerges from the trees and walks toward us. "Are you two having fun?"

"Robert!" I gasp, jumping up and throwing my arms around him. "It's been so long!"

He pulls away from me and smiles. "Four here said you two needed some help. And of course, I said yes. I'll be your caterer today. I will bring in the food shortly." He laughs and stands up straight, folding a towel over one arm. "Be right back!" He leaves the little grove with a spring in his step.

I turn back to Tobias. "This is amazing."

"I'm glad you like it." He returns it with a smile. I settle back in my seat, which is velvety and extremely comfortable. In a couple seconds, Robert returns, carrying a steaming platter. He lays it down and opens it, uncovering some kind of pasta covered in a creamy orange sauce. The smell is delicious, and I inhale it, savoring the warm smell of pasta. Robert ladles it onto our plates, before whipping away the platter and taking out another silver tureen. He opens it carefully and sets it down. "Cake!" I gasp.

Tobias grins at me. "Dauntless cake, to be exact. You wouldn't BELIEVE how hard it was to talk the people there into giving me this much."

"Can we eat?" I ask pleadingly, my eyes roaming over all the food on the table. "Pleaseeee?"

"All right," Tobias says, laughing. He turns to Robert. "Thank you so much." Robert shrugs, answering with a grin. "Anytime! I'll see you guys later." He gives me a hug and claps Tobias on the back, before melting away into the trees.

I turn back to my plate and scoop up a forkful of the pasta to take a bite. I sigh as it lands on my tongue. "It's perfect," I say. It really is - with just the right combination of sweet and sour and just a hint of spice. "I love it." I smile at Tobias. We finish eating in pleasant silence, savoring every bite. At last, I put down my fork, letting out a sigh. "Delicious."

"And we still haven't gotten to the best part. Cake!" Tobias says, eyeing the chocolate dessert in front of us. "And don't tell me you're too full for it."

"I actually am too full for it," I laugh. "Never thought I'd say that, right?" Tobias blanches in shock. "Tris. It's CAKE!"

"It's okay, Tobias. Just finish it for me, okay?" I say, and he rolls his eyes. "As if I wasn't already going to do that."

Suddenly, a loud click startles me. "Did you hear that?" I ask, looking around.

"What?"

"That click."  
Tobias smiles. "Oh - the Amity have this clock tower in their compound. You can't hear it if you're too far off - like Abnegation or Dauntless. But it chimes every hour and lets out clicks every ten minutes. Which reminds me." He checks his watch, and then holds out his hand. "Come with me."

I follow him out of the thick orchard into open air, where I can clearly see the clock tower for the first time. It towers up into the sky, imposing and giant. Tobias leads me straight towards the bottom of it, where he proceeds to draw out a key and unlock the small door at the the base. "Come on."

We enter it carefully, and he pulls me gently toward the side. He presses a button, and a set of doors slide open with a "ding". The elevator has mirrored walls and a luxury carpet. We step inside, and Tobias presses number '101' before we shoot upward.

"Where exactly are we going?" I ask, and Tobias just smiles mischievously. "You'll see."

At last, the doors slide open, and we walk out to a giant balcony, open to a view of the night sky with a thousand glittering silver stars. I gasp as I walk forward, and get the view of how high we are from the ground. _Tobias. _I turn to him, and he smiles at me, walking forward to join me at the edge. "Aren't you afraid?" I ask, and he shrugs.

"A little," he admits. "But you're here."

I wrap my arms around him and rest my head on his chest. "I love you," I murmur.

"I love you too."

Suddenly, a loud chime interrupts us, and I break away to look up at the giant clock face. The two hands are in exact alignment at twelve.

The bells chime exactly twelve times, before subsiding. "Midnight." I say, staring up in wonder at the giant clock. I turn back to Tobias, who gives me a shy smile before pulling out a small velvet box and sinking to one knee. My mouth drops open in shock. _He's going to do it._

"Tris Prior," he begins. "From the very first moment I met you, a little over a year ago, I knew you were different. I was intrigued. And then time passed, and I watched you develop into this beautiful, caring, spirited girl who was not afraid to have knives thrown at her or to stand up to Eric. You taught me to get over my fears. You taught me how to be truly brave. Thank you for that. Thank you for loving me. Loving me for who I am. You have made me the happiest man on Earth. Will help me stay that way by marrying me?"

He looks at me with bright, hopeful eyes, and I can't help but think how much I love him. He's a part of me now. I love him and he loves me. _That's how it's supposed to work._ I take a deep breath and smile.

"Yes."

**Thanks for reading! Please review and tell me what you think. Thanks! :D Until next time:**

**~DauntlessProdigy4Life**


	19. Factionless Fear

**Hey guys :) Sorry for the long update, my computer broke down so I had to wipe it and of course, that meant I wiped Microsoft Word too. Luckily I had a few test documents saved on the Doc Manager and so that's what I'm using. :D To everyone who reviewed: I'm seriously so glad you guys liked it - it means so much to me. **

**Disclaimer: I don't own Divergent. Same old stuff.**

Tobias gets up slowly, not breaking eye contact with me. His eyes are gentle as he takes out the ring. I look up at him, feeling as if I am about to burst. There are so many words trying to escape my lips but I remain silent, letting my expression show him how I feel. Tobias leans down and kisses me gently, his hand wrapping around my waist. I close my eyes, taking in the exhilaration of the moment, when suddenly something light but cold slips onto my finger. I break away and look down at my finger, taking in the ring.

"It's beautiful," I say in a hushed voice, turning my finger to look at it from all angles. It's a thin silver band engraved with an infinity sign - intricate and comfortable. There's a diamond set in the middle, surrounded by ten tiny gray pearls that flicker like dewdrops. I look up at him, my eyes filled with love. "Thank you," I whisper.

He takes my face in one hand and gazes down at me with a smile. "I love you," he says. "I love you too."

* * *

I spin around in the swivel chair, letting my eyes stray from Alex's fear simulation screen back to the ring on my finger. I absentmindedly twist it around and around, watching the light fall on it. Tobias looks back at me, an amused expression on his face. "Still shocked?" He asks, and I laugh. "I just can't believe it. Why?"

Tobias turns away from his screen and fixes me with a steady stare. "Remember when Will proposed to Christina?" I nod. "Yeah."

He shrugs, smiling faintly. "The look on Christina's face. She was so excited, thrilled, in love. I knew I wanted to see it on your face - and to know that I had done it. And I did."

I smile. "And remember? When Christina heard, she was freaking out about how we can have a double wedding in a year or so." Tobias laughs, motioning to the computer. I turn back to the screen.

Suddenly, Alex shoots up with a jerk, his forehead dotted with beads of sweat. His simulation was the same as last time - his father appeared and beat him bloody for joining Dauntless. He scrabbles at his back, his breath coming in huge gasps. I look over at Tobias, and he nods before moving over to Alex and taking his hand.

Alex puts his head in his hands. "No. No. I can't do this. I'm gonna be kicked out. I can't. It's... my dad." Tobias' grip visibly slackens and he crosses his arms. "You can." Alex looks up in surprise, a single tear glittering on his face.

"I did it," Tobias says, his voice surprisingly hard. "You can too."

"I can't." Alex says.

"You CAN. Remember I did."

A second passes before Alex shoots up in anger and rounds on Tobias, his eyes blazing. "Are you serious? You're a Dauntless prodigy who's brilliant at everything. I'm just a plain old initiate who's probably going to be cut because he couldn't get over a fear. Excuse me, but I'M NOT YOU!" He storms out of the room, slamming the door behind him. My mouth drops open and I turn to Tobias. "What-" I begin, but Tobias lets go of my hand and suddenly sinks down in a chair, his face pale.

"I'm sorry," he murmurs, running a hand over his forehead. "I just don't want him to turn out like me. Constantly afraid of... of Marcus." His voice shakes as he forces himself to continue.

I put an arm around him. "I'll go get David." I whisper. He needs some time to himself.

I exit the room, walking into the hallway where only a couple initiates remain. Liam bites his fingernails nervously. He looks up as I arrive and gives me a grin. I give him a faint smile and scan the hallway.

"David, come on up." He looks up and brushes his black hair out of his eyes as he stands up. I haven't really noticed him much since initiation began. David's been extremely quiet, though in an unnerving sort of way. His sharp black eyes devour everything, and he stares at me in an unsettling sort of way.

I stop him at the doorway. "Wait here." I slip inside, where Tobias is still sitting with his head in his hands. He looks up as I enter. "Hey."

"Hey," I smile, holding his hand. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah." Tobias sighs and I gently press a hand to his temple. "Are you feeling okay? I can finish the initiates, if you want me to." Tobias shakes his head and gets up slowly."No, I'll stay."

I give him a gentle hug and walk outside again. "David, you can come in now." He enters, staring at the ground the whole time. "Is something wrong?" I finally ask, and he shakes his head. "Nope."

"Then come get in the chair." He gets in with ease, and folds his arms, watching me test the plunger with meticulous precision. I turn towards him, only to find him looking at me again. "What are you looking at?" I finally ask, annoyed.

"I'll tell you later," he says, and I shrug. "Okay then. This is going to hurt." I insert the needle and press down on the plunger, and he only winces lightly. After a minute, his eyes go blank and I turn to the computer to watch his fear landscape.

David is standing in a train car that's rattling along the tracks. He has 2 dusty black bags next to him, and he stares at them, trying to comprehend what's happening. He runs to the door and heaves it open, blinking in the bright sunlight. The train races along beside tall buildings, and I can almost hear his sigh of relief as he realizes he's still in Dauntless.

Until the buildings end.

The train flies past the buildings and into a dirty, trash littered sector with destroyed buildings and broken glass everywhere. Factionless people look up as it rattles past, their eyes filled with despair and their bodies thin from hunger. David backs away from the door, finally understanding what is happening.

He is factionless.

The train finally halts in front of a dirty street littered with pieces of cans, glass, and bottles. David looks outside, not quite believing it. Factionless. The word with so much power. That one word that could destroy your life, if it applied to you. Factionless. He turns away from the door, resigned.

"Come with me."

David turns in confusion, his eyes searching the dusty buildings. I narrow my eyes, looking over at Tobias. "What's happening?" He shrugs, still focused on the monitor. "Just keep watching."

A slender girl appears out of nowhere, clothed in a white robe that billows out around her as she walks. She hovers a few inches above the ground, her bare feet never touching the littered street. She has long blonde hair and her eyes are a brilliant blue-gray - piercing and clear. She looks familiar, as if I have seen her before in a distant dream. She looks like... like...

"She looks like you," Tobias says quietly, echoing my thoughts. My eyes widen as I realize the connection. I turn back to the girl on the screen, studying her more closely. She looks like me, but... not like me. The girl is taller, and her eyes are have more of a grayish tint to them than mine do. Tobias frowns at the screen. "I feel like I should know her."

On the screen, David stares at her, his eyes filled with longing. He stares at her as if he knows her. "I..." He gasps, torn between following her deeper into the factionless and staying with Dauntless.

"Just follow me." Her voice is almost musical as she glides forward, reaching out a hand. "Come on, Dave. Come with me."

"I... I can't." His voice breaks as he looks at her sadly. "Why couldn't you have stayed in Candor?

"David, you knew I couldn't. Besides, my life isn't so bad. Follow me - they're just factionless." The word startles him out of his stupor and he backs away. "I can't, Jen. I can't be factionless."

"It'll be fine," She coos, holding out her hand. "We'll be together."

The train rumbles, sending up a cloud of dust. The girl looks at the train in surprise.

"We don't have much time." A whistle sounds, and the train begins moving with a slight jerk. "Come on, Dave! Follow me!" She cries, and he hesitates. His foot slides over the edge of the car, and she nods encouragingly.

But then he hesitates, and something seems to click in his mind. "I'm sorry, Jen. I can't follow you." He says, and the train whirls away, wind whipping his clothes. The girl vanishes just as suddenly as she came, and the screen goes black as David flies up in his chair, panting. He catches his breath and stares at the ground, his fingers trembling. I walk up to him and kneel down. "It's okay. Can you tell me who that was?"

David looks up, his eyes filled with sadness. "My sister. Jennifer."

**Thanks for reading! Please read and review, I love to hear your thoughts. I'm serious - I read every single one of my reviews. They're all amazing - whether good or bad. Thank you all so much for reading! I'll probably update again sometime this weekend. :) Until next time:**

**~DauntlessProdigy4Life**


	20. Drowning

**Hey guys - sorry for the short chapter - I didn't really have much time. :P Anyway, hope you like this chapter! It's basically more fear landscapes. **

**Disclaimer: I don't own Divergent, unless I magically turned into Veronica Roth overnight. **

"Jennifer?" I ask, confused. Suddenly, Tobias speaks up. "Glass?"

David nods slowly. "Yeah. Jennifer Glass. Why?"

Tobias wipes his palms on his shirt. When he speaks, his voice is edgy. "She was in my initiation. She didn't make it. I'm sorry." Tobias says. David nods slightly and looks down. "Jennifer was why I chose Dauntless."

Tobias sucks in his breath. "What?"

"She was my sister. Our parents died when I was 9. Jen and I lived together, worked together; she took care of me so I wouldn't have to go to the orphanage. When she left Candor for Dauntless... it was heartbreaking. I mean - she left me. And so at the Choosing Ceremony, I followed her." He looks up. "And that's why I feel like I should quit. Like I should become factionless and go find her, but... I can't do it. I can't become factionless." David looks up with pleading eyes.

"David, you can't." I say. "You're Dauntless now. You can't follow your sister everywhere she goes." His eyes widen slightly at that but I continue before he can speak. "You're a Dauntless initiate. You have to at least try. Maybe you'll make it."

David gives me a tiny smile. "Thanks Six, I appreciate it. But I still don't know."

He gets up and leaves the room quietly, leaving an air of discomfort behind him.

I turn to Tobias. "Jennifer?" I ask. Tobias sighs. "Jennifer was a Candor girl in our initiation. She was cut after the fear landscapes. She was really good friends with Shauna. Shauna still doesn't like mentioning it."

There's still something bothering me. "Tobias?" I ask. "Mmm?" He answers, playing with a strand of my hair. It comes out in one rushed sentence. "Why didn't you choose her?"

"What?" Tobias sits up, suddenly alert.

I continue, nervous about his reply. "Jennifer looks exactly like me, but... prettier. Why didn't you choose her? Why me?"

"Well, first of all, you're MUCH more beautiful," Tobias jokes, ruffling my hair. He continues in a more serious voice. "And second - Jennifer wasn't really my type. You two look similar, but your personalities aren't all the same. Jennifer wasn't completely suited for Dauntless. She tried to run away when she found out that we were going to be ranked. You, on the other hand, stayed and fought to emerge in first place. That's the difference." Tobias smiles, and I feel a wave of relief.

"Thank you."

"Tris, you don't have to say thank you." He takes my hand and looks into my eyes. "You're the smartest, bravest, most beautiful and most selfless girl I've ever met. I love you."  
I smile. "I love you too."

Tobias grins and shoots back with a reply. "I love you three!"

I suddenly realize what I've gotten myself into. "This is seriously SO cliche!" I roll my eyes. "Are you really going to make me say this?"

"Yup, and you started it." Tobias grins.

"I did not!"

"You said 'I love you too'".

"Well, you said I love you!" I retort, half smiling. Tobias lets out a loud sigh. "Come on, Trissy. Just do it!"

"Okay, but only because you're making me." I groan. "I love you Four."

"Yes!" Tobias pumps his fist in the air. "Now I believe you have to continue."

"I love you - five," I say, resigned. He pulls me in for a hug, and I wrap my arms around him as he whispers the last line.  
"And I love you Six."

I lean against him, looking up into his deep blue eyes. God, those eyes. They're like the ocean, constantly altering to fit his ever changing moods - a dark, stormy indigo or a sapphire blue that sparkles with excitement.

"Do you want to finish for the day after Claire?" I suggest. "We've been here since lunch and it's already 5:30."

"That would be great." He murmurs, and I break away, smiling. "I'll go tell them."

I walk to the door and look outside. "Hey guys. Claire, we're going to do your fear landscape now, and we'll finish everyone else's fear landscapes tomorrow. Go have fun." They initiates nod and filter out. Liam grins. "Bye, Six." I give him a small wave as I lean against the door frame and watch them leave. Finally, the hallway is empty, and I motion to Claire. "Follow me."

She smiles and follows me in. I nod at Tobias and sit across from him. Claire settles herself in the chair and clenches her teeth. "I'm ready."

I nod and press the needle against her neck, pushing down on the plunger. The sticky orange liquid disappears into her body, and she gives a small shudder as she leans back. I lean forward and whisper "Be brave" as her eyes go blank and the screen flares to life.

"Help!" The bright red words flash on a computer to the side as the simulation works, taking down every word that Claire emits. The screen in front of me clears up and reveals Claire... in the ocean.

Saltwater stretches around for miles, with not a single object or island in sight. Claire looks around frantically, bobbing up and down. A foamy wave suddenly explodes over her head and she submerges, water droplets flying everywhere. She gasps for air, clawing at her throat.

"Help me!" she screams, making a futile effort to swim. My eyes are glued to the screen as I watch her struggling. Another wave crashes over her body. Claire screams - a single, high scream before she sinks down, her arms going limp. The lolling head, the sagging body and the splayed out fingers. The scene is so horribly familiar that I clutch the counter. Al. I'm thrown back to that time when he was lifted out of the chasm with scarlet red blood covering his face - his body sagging and lifeless. I blink a couple times, unsteady on my feet before I turn back to the screen.

Claire sinks through the dark waters, nothing stopping her from falling into a never ending darkness. Suddenly, she flies up in her chair, coughing and clutching her throat. I move over immediately, holding her hand to calm her down.

"That was terrible," she whispers, looking at me. I look at her quietly, letting her calm down. "May I go now?" She chokes out after a minute, and I nod immediately.

"Of course. See you tomorrow." Claire leaves the room unsteadily, barely missing the door frame as she stumbles out. I turn to Tobias tiredly, running one hand through my hair.

"That was disturbing."

**Hey - thanks for reading! Please leave a review and tell me what you think. I'd love it if you did! Thanks! :D Until next tme:**

**~DauntlessProdigy4Life**


	21. Erudite

**Hey guys, sorry for such a long wait. Wow, it's actually been like 3 weeks since I last updated! Okay, you'll have to cut me some slack. Finals and our teachers have found excuses to spring tests and projects on us on the LAST TWO WEEKS OF SCHOOL! Who does that? It's just not allowed, okay? Okay. TFIOS REFERENCE! Okay, sorry. Haha – thank you so much for all the reviews and support you gave me. I love you guys. Hope you like this chapter!**

**If you want to read the chapter, skip this paragraph. If you want to hear other stuff, keep reading. So anyway, WHO'S EXCITED FOR TFIOS AND MALEFICENT? Everyone's just like "Okay, breathe. Calm down. Breathe". And I'm just like that fangirl who's fangirling about every poster I see about those two movies and pictures and everything. OMGGGGG! Well, almost all my friends are too so we fangirl together about everything. If any of you have watched either of those two movies PLEASE PLEASE PLEASEEEE tell me how they were! I sooo wanna watch them but school has to end first. Haha :D Thank you! :D**

**Disclaimer: Same old stuff. I don't own Divergent.**

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_Tris POV_

"It was." He agrees, looking at the door through which Claire just disappeared. I sigh, sinking down into a chair.

Tobias smiles, putting one hand on my forehead. "Are you okay? We have to go put up the initiate rankings, and then after that we've got a meeting with Jeanine." Right. Erudite meeting. Oh well.

"And I'm guessing we can't skip the meeting?" I ask, half-knowing the answer already.

"Yeah, we're totally allowed to do that as _Dauntless leaders_," Tobias mocks, grinning. "Nice try, Trissy."

"Fine. Let's get this over with." I turn to the computer screen to begin the list. "It's just simulation times, right?"

"Yeah," He says.

Five hours later, we have a complete list of the simulation times. Tobias and I stare at it.

"If any of them are like Peter, this is not going to be pretty." Tobias says. I shudder. "Hopefully not."

"Let's go." Tobias tucks one arm around me, still holding the manuscript with his other hand. We walk down the hall and I lean my head against his chest. Tobias ruffles my hair, smiling. I take a deep breath and inhale his warm scent of vanilla and mint. Wait a minute.

"You smell different," I say, cocking my head curiously. He raises an eyebrow. "I smell?"

"You know what I mean!" I say, rolling my eyes. Tobias grins. "Fine. Zeke gave me a new cologne. And I was stupid enough to use it." He laughs, a deep rumble resonating against me. "You like it?"

"It smells good," I say, inhaling again. And again.

"Tris?" Tobias asks, and I look up. "Mmm?"

"You're breathing on me."

"Oh. Right." I draw back, patting his shirt. "Just... just dusting your shirt. It's very... dusty." Tobias laughs. "Of course you are. Why?"

I quickly change the subject before the conversation becomes awkward and possibly goes somewhere I'm still a little wary of talking about, even though I got over my seventh fear. "No reason. Oh anyway - we're here."

We enter the dorm quietly, and the initiates immediately stand up, surprised.

"What's happening?" Holly asks.

Tobias shrugs. "Just a report card of sorts. How well you're doing in the simulations. All seven of you have gone at least once by now; we're giving you type of a report on how well you're doing. Anyway, here are your times." Tobias pulls out his arm from around me and tapes up the poster. As soon as he draws back, the initiates crowd around it, whispering.

I clear my throat and begin to read out the times.

_1\. Holly. 2:48_

_2\. Liam. 2:57_

Liam lets out a loud sigh of relief. I hide a smile before continuing.

_3\. Bryan. 9:54_

_4\. Claire. 9:59_

_5\. David. 11:16_

_6\. Britney. 12:30_

_7\. Alex. 15:46_

After I finish reading the list, I turn automatically to gauge Alex's reaction, only to be surprised. He doesn't make any movement as he looks at the board, a blank expression on his face, not even showing the tiniest sliver of emotion. The kind of face that only Tobias can do. It gives me a small start to see that expression on his face, so familiar and oddly blank. I can't read him. Not at all.

He looks so much like Al in that moment that I turn away hurriedly, not able to think straight. I say something to fill the silence quickly so Tobias and I can leave. Tobias steps up and addresses the initiates. "Well, we'll leave you to it. Your final evaluations are in a little less than 2 weeks, and we expect that you behave as true Dauntless and accept your results, good or bad. Good luck." He smiles and we leave the dorm, satisfied.

"Do you think Alex will make it?" Tobias asks a couple seconds later, voicing our thoughts. "He might not-"

"He has to." I say immediately, leaving no room for argument. "He can't fail. He'll be broken, out of his mind. The simulations can do that, right?"

"Yeah, if the person is weak mentally," Tobias says, clearly confused. "But he's going to be cut if he doesn't have both a strong mental and physical defense."

"He has to make it!" I say. "Can you... give him some lessons or something?" I ask on impulse, and enjoy the look of shock that runs across Tobias' face. For once, I thought of something he didn't.

"Lessons?"

"Yeah!" I continue quickly to make it seem like a full-fledged idea. "After the simulation practices, and that way he could strengthen his simulation time. Please?" I hear a pleading note enter my voice. "He can't leave."

I couldn't say the rest, but I knew that Tobias understood. He nodded carefully."Okay, I'll try. But Tris, you know in the end, I can't affect him. It's his choice. It's how willing he is to try and do it. You know that, right?"

I nod, smiling. "I know. Tobias, thank you so much." I pull him into a hug, and he lifts my chin up with two fingers so his eyes meet mine. "Tris, how could I say no to you?" He grins, looking down at me. "And that pouting face." He pushes out his bottom lip and looks down at me sadly.

I push him away, laughing. "Stop it!" We leave the hallway, in considerably higher spirits than when we originally left the dorm.

"Erudite meeting," Tobias reminds me, as I start on the way back to our apartment. I halt, remembering. "I forgot."

"I know you did," Tobias says. "That's why I reminded you. Keep up, Trissy!"

"You're such a... ugh!" I shake my head, at a momentary loss for words.

We leave the compound and get in the car. I'm still awed by how smooth and sleek it is as it hums quietly, the silver complementing the glowing blue.

"The ride's about half an hour, so be prepared." Tobias says. I nod before opening the door and slipping in. He grins before doing the same on the other side. Tobias inserts the keys and the car flares to life. We pull out onto the road and ride along in silence, which lets my mind wander. Tobias pulls me back to the present after about fifteen minutes.

"So you aren't even the slightest bit interested in what Jeanine wants us for."

I sit up, my eyes widening. "Of course I am! It's probably just leader stuff and tips on running a faction."

"Maybe," Tobias murmurs, his eyes not quite meeting mine.

"What?" I ask, suddenly alerted by the way his eyes shift.

"Nothing." He doesn't elaborate.

I sit back, slightly confused. Though as I think about it, my theory seems more and more irrelevant. Like amateur thinking.

Jeanine wouldn't waste her time on us to talk about faction matters. It would be easier to send an email or a hologram. It must be important.

"We're here." Tobias gives me a small smile and parks the car next to a tall building. "Come on Tris, let's go."

I hold his hand as we walk down a narrow stone path lined with perfectly pruned flower bushes, averting my eyes as people in Erudite blue and glasses walk past. Any of those could be Caleb. I take deep breaths, not letting myself meet the eyes of any Erudite. _Caleb. Caleb. Breathe, Tris. Calm down._

Tobias strokes my arm gently as we approach the entrance. A man looks up, taking in our appearances and black outfits. "Names?" He asks. I nod to Tobias and then myself. "Four and Tris Prior."

He scribbles violently on his clipboard, taking meticulous notes on our appearances. "Security reasons," He says, still writing.

Finally, he looks up and gestures at us. "You have a 7:00 meeting with Ms. Jeanine Matthews, am I correct?"

"Yeah," Tobias says. The man steps aside and lets us through the glass doors into a large hall lined with marble pillars. "Have a wonderful day."

"You too," I say shortly. Tobias and I enter and almost immediately, a woman in a neat white suit enters. "Follow me," She says, flicking a strand of blonde hair over one shoulder before walking primly across the floor. We get up and follow her obediently through a maze of hallways.

We pass a group of teenagers hunched over a newspaper article, pointing and laughing. I crane my neck to see what they're looking at, and draw back in anger when I see what they hold. At the top of the newspaper, printed in bold black letters, says:

'Is Abnegation really everything they say it is? Find out the dirty truth now!'

My fists curl into tight balls, my nails digging fiercely into the palm of my hands. I start towards them immediately, but suddenly Tobias feels the movement and pulls me forward, making a violent "Shh" gesture. He stops me after we reach a bend in the hallway and puts his hand on my shoulder, his eyes serious. "What was that?"

"They had one of those newspapers talking down Abnegation! They were lies! And it was right there! It-"

"I don't care." Tobias looks into my eyes, his expression not showing the slightest trace of any emotion. "Really. We are Dauntless, Tris. Train yourself to stay above that kind of slight arousal. I know that it's a lie. But we're Dauntless leaders, and we have to represent our faction. We're not Abnegation anymore. Not even a little. We can't be. We have to be Dauntless."

"But-"

"I know, Tris." A slight tremble in his shoulders tells he that this is hard for him to. "But we can't break the alliance between Erudite and Dauntless. We can't afford to. Please."  
I nod slightly, the rage inside of me dying away. "I'm sorry." He smiles. "I know." Tobias' expression grows concerned and he lifts up one of my hands. "Are you hurt?"

There's a tiny sliver of dark red blood on my left palm, shaped in a semicircle like my nail. Tobias purses his lips and plucks a napkin from a table in the hallway, gently dabbing at the broken skin. The tissue soaks in the blood and Tobias removes the napkin gently. "That's better."

"Thank you," I whisper. "Anytime," he smiles.

"Follow me!" The woman calls, and we hurry after her again into a large room overlooking Erudite headquarters.

"Ms. Matthews, Four and Ms. Prior are here to see you."

A woman in a tall, white leather chair spins around to smile at the attendant. "Thank you, Julie, that will be all." Jeanine Matthews waves her off, then gestures at us. "Please sit."

Tobias and I settle onto a small white couch just opposite Jeanine and wait as she delicately sips from a coffee mug. Finally, she sets it down and turns to us. "Welcome to Erudite."

"Thank you," Tobias says warily, not letting down his guard. "May I ask what matters you have called us for that include Dauntless?"

"Oh, dear me! I almost forgot to explain!" Jeanine gives a small breathy laugh before setting down her cup and fixing her eyes on us. "Why Four, I thought you would know already. As a matter of fact, you should. I called you two here to talk to about the Divergent."

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**Thanks for reading! Remember to review - I'll have the next chapter up soon. I'll see you guys soon! :D **

**-DauntlessProdigy4Life**


	22. Jeanine

**HI! I AM BACK! Don't yell at me, sorry haha. My choir took a trip halfway across the country and I didn't have access to a computer for like a WEEK! Can you believe it?! I couldn't even read fanfiction, let alone write. Sorry. Haha. But now I'm back, with the next chapter for you guys. Hope you like it!**

**To that guest who reviewed last time with "OH MY GOD UPDATE ALREADY!". I'm trying my best, okay? I just don't have too much time right now, even though it's summer. I'll do my absolute best to update as fast as I can, but I can't make any promises. I'm just glad you guys are reading this, as slow an updater as I currently am.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Divergent, I just own an iPhone. That I almost lost a number of times. Oops.**

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_Last time: _

"_Thank you," Tobias says warily, not letting down his guard. "May I ask what matters you have called us for that include Dauntless?"_

"_Oh, dear me! I almost forgot to explain!" Jeanine gives a small breathy laugh before setting down her cup and fixing her eyes on us. "Why Four, I thought you would know already. As a matter of fact, you should. I called you to talk to about the Divergent."_

I stiffen immediately, the one simple word repeating over and over in my mind. I inwardly curse myself for reacting. _I'm not supposed to know!_

Jeanine picks up on it and turns to me. "Ms. Prior? Is there something wrong?"

I attempt to appear calm and collect myself before replying. "No, of course not, Ms. Matthews. I was just surprised. Is that term something I'm supposed to know?"

Jeanine raises one eyebrow, and even though I'm still wary, my mindset turns slightly jealous. I've always wanted to be able to do that. "You shouldn't... unless you do somehow do know." Jeanine looks at me intently, waiting for a response. "Sorry, _Jeanine_, I don't know. Would you care to explain?" I give her a sweet smile.

Jeanine fixes me with a frosty glance before relenting. "'Divergent' is a term used to describe people who have the aptitude for more than one faction, so to say."

"How is that possible?" I ask, cocking my head, trying to seem as clueless as possible. Jeanine purses her lips. "It's not."

"It's not supposed to be," Tobias clarifies. He shoots me a quick look, his eyes seemingly gentle, though I can detect the emotion behind them. Apprehension. Edginess. Consternation.

"That's right, Four." Jeanine's lips curl into a smile. "Tris, would you care to repeat what we just summarized for you? For technical purposes, of course. I'd like to see that you're keeping up."

I grit my teeth and almost spit out my next words. "Divergent are people with aptitude for more than one faction."

"Excellent!" Jeanine picks up her coffee and takes another small sip. "We have a division here at Erudite committed to finding those people and... well... 'helping them', is a term you could use. When we receive a report of a Divergent, our team extracts the person from their faction, brings them here for testing, and then they are eliminated. It's for the good of the future."

The casualness with which she says the word "eliminated", with a hot cappucino in her hand and a warm smile on her face almost makes me shudder. This is it. Tobias warned me about the Divergent, but not the consequences. I feel vulnerable sitting here, as if she already knows I'm Divergent and is waiting for the right time to pounce. Like a snake. A cold, calculating snake.

"Right," I say, forcing my voice not to shake. "And what exactly does that have to do with us?"

Jeanine sets down her cup and pushes a folder across the table towards us. "Why don't you take a look?"

Tobias nods at me, and I open it carefully, dreading what I might see. The first page says "Confidential: Divergent Reports" in bold letters. Jeanine waves her hand. "Ignore that - move on."

I turn the page carefully, and almost have a heart attack when I see the next page. It's a picture of an initiate. He's smiling and wearing a white polo t-shirt and dark jeans. It's Liam.

"Liam." I say aloud, not realizing I'd spoken aloud until Jeanine replies.

"Your initiate, am I correct?"

"Yeah," Tobias speaks up. "Why's he there?"

"He's an unidentified specimen," Jeanine says, shrugging. "All your initiates are. We need you to test them and report back with your findings. I trust that they will be accurate." The words "Unidentified. Report not received. Dauntless Initiate. Candor Transfer." lie beneath Liam's picture

I turn the page. Holly. Alex. Bryan. Claire. "How'd you get information on _Dauntless _initiates?" I blurt out, regretting voicing the question as soon as Jeanine gives me a slight smile.

"Tris, I thought you would respect Erudite more than that. We are not spies, we simply use logic to..." Jeanine considers her next words carefully. "'put the puzzle pieces together', as you could say. We have our sources."

"Hmm." Tobias narrows his eyes. "I thought all we had to do was identify the Divergent, not turn our own faction members over to be experimented upon. These are matters for the Dauntless to decide, not Erudite." _Careful, Tobias. _He's treading on dangerous waters.

Jeanine leans forward, looking him in the eye. "Would you like to take a walk with me?"

I stiffen. "What?"

"Come with me," she repeats, enunciating every syllable. "Both of you. I want to show you something."

She rises and we get up along with her. Jeanine walks out the door in a business like manner and I hurry after her, after exchanging a quick glance with Tobias. Finally, she pauses in front of a bright red door with no visible handle or window. She places her hand on the door and the room suddenly begins to vibrate. Tobias starts and glares at Jeanine. "Is this a-"

"Calm down," Jeanine says. "Just procedural."

As suddenly as it started, the shaking stops and the door swings open. We enter through it only to be met with a thick wall of glass. The small space is eerily silent, and I realize that the area is soundproof. There's a thin woman in a blue business suit lying on a stretcher beyond the glass wall. Her black hair is spread out in a fan behind her and her eyes are closed. As we watch, two doctors in white lab coats and surgical masks enter and begin arranging medical equipment. The room flares to life, monitors whirring with precision and flicking back and forth between slides.

"What is this?" I whisper, and Jeanine motions to the doctors. "Part of our Divergent research team. I wanted to show you that we are all one in this, Four. Margaret is one of our own. She was identified as Divergent, and brought here to be examined. After our research is complete, she will be eliminated. She did work in the logistics of faction matters area. Her loss will set us back, but she is Divergent, and therefore a threat. In this way, she is expendable."

One of the surgeons lifts a syringe filled with a sickly green liquid dotted with yellow flecks. Jeanine suddenly raises her hand and passes it over the glass, which instantly turns black. She smiles apologetically. "Sorry. We have certain secrets."

She leads us back out of the winding passages and stops us when we reach the lobby. "So, Tris, Four, I hope you will think about my proposal. If you do happen across any Divergent, I would like you to report them to us at once." Her tone is quiet, but understanding. "You see, we are doing the best thing for them."

"We'll do our best," Tobias says. I can detect the slight edge to his voice which proves he's not telling the truth, but Jeanine smiles and nods. "I appreciate that. Thank you for coming."

She leaves the lobby, and I look at Tobias. He gives me an almost imperceptible nod and whispers. "It'll be okay."

We walk out of Erudite, more than a little worried about the fates of our initiates. The ride home is silent. It's only when we get up to our room and are lying in bed when I speak.

"We have to find Caleb, Tobias." I say. Tobias turns around and looks at me carefully. "What do you mean? You think he can help?"

"He's Erudite," I say simply. "He can get in with Jeanine and find out how they're getting this information about our initiates; about Dauntless members. We can't let them find our Divergent."

"But, he's _Caleb_, Tris. I.. well..."

"I know." We share a meaningful look, and I look down when I say my next words. "I hate to admit it, but we need him. He can help us. If he's willing too."

Tobias sighs, pulling off the blanket to tuck an arm around me. "This has to work, Tris."

"I know. I does. But Tobias, we don't have any other options. We've got to do this."

He smiles. "You are definitely not that scared little girl from Abnegation anymore."

"What?" I put a hand to my heart and look up at him in shock. "That hurt, Toby. Right here."

"Aww, really?" He pouts and lifts up my hand. "Maybe I can fix that." He presses a soft kiss to my palm and then places it back on my heart. "That feel better?"

"I guess." I smile and snuggle into him, breathing deeply. "Night, Tobias."

"Good night, Tris."

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**Thanks for reading! By the way – would you guys rather I update frequently (2-3 days apart) with shorter chapters, or have one updating day a week (in this case, Mondays) with a long chapter? Remember to review with your thoughts. Thanks and see you next time!**

**-DauntlessProdigy4Life**


	23. Pillow Fights

**HI! Here's the next chapter! I know, I know, I'm so fast. Kind of. This next chapter is a lot fluffier than the past ones have been; I don't always like putting action after action after action. Fluff is amazing too. Haha. Hope you guys like this chapter!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Divergent. Still no progress.**

I rub my eyes slowly and give a loud yawn. Tobias makes a noise of protest and tucks his arm closer around me. I turn to face him, pretty sure I look terrible but not caring in the slightest. "Good morning," I whisper. His eyelids flicker and he shakes his head.

"No."

"What?"

"Don't say good morning. Maybe if we don't acknowledge it it'll go away." Tobias pulls me close for a hug and buries his face in my hair. I roll my eyes, but stay in bed anyway, cuddling down in the blankets.

"But I thought you wanted to get up!" Tobias says, raising his eyebrows. "No, no, not anymore," I say hastily, shaking my head frantically. He grins evilly before pulling off the blankets.

"AHH!" The sudden blast of cold air hits me and I thrash around, trying to find the comforter again. My arm hits a fluffy thing and I pull it close around me, entangling my legs in the blanket too. "That feels better," I sigh, before I notice the silence.

"Tobias?" I attempt to sit up, and the eerie silence is a little spooky. "Where'd you go?"

There's a soft scratching noise behind the bed. I turn immediately before I realize my mistake. "What the-"

"YOU'RE IT!" Tobias yells. I turn back with lightning fast reflexes and go down under the huge fluffy pillow that hits my face. I fall down, laughing, before my mind morphs into battle mode. Well, pillow mode.

"Tobias?" I ask in a sweet voice.

"Yeah?"

"Heads up."

I shoot up and launch the pillow at him, which bounces off his head. His expression is one of utter shock, before it changes to an evil smile. "Oh, Tris." He laughs. "You don't know what you've done."

He picks up the pillow from the ground. In the other hand, he holds a... couch cushion?

"Tobias, is that from the couch?"

"Effective as any," he grins. "But that's not the point." My eyes widen and I try to grab for the satiny black pillow from behind me and find only empty space. Slightly panicking, I whirl around to find the pillow gone. "Where'd it go?"

Tobias grins. "I dunno." He takes a ridiculous offensive stance, pillows in both hands. "But it's better for me."

He leaps on top of me, pummeling me with both pillows. I roll around, half shrieking as I push back, finally landing on top of him.

"Agh, Tris. You're so HEAVY!"

"Yeah, right." I smirk. "_I'm_ heavy? Totally. But that's not the point."

I slam the pillow into his arm and the whole fiasco erupts into a mess of pillows, feathers, blankets, and sheets. And more feathers. We tumble off the bed and somehow a pillow flies up out of our hands, hits the ceiling, and bursts. Literally, bursts. A snowstorm of pure white feathers flies down around us, covering the bed, the floor, the desk, the fridge, everything near here. I look at Tobias in wonder and he gives me a grin. "Wow." His dark hair is now flecked with white bits of cotton.

"Tobias, we have to clean this up!" I say, half anxious, half smiling. He picks up a few feathers in his hand and lets them go, a slight smile on his face. "Who cares?"

"Tobias-"

"Tris." He's up close against me with one hand folded behind my back. "I love you, you know that. Right?"

"Yeah," I smile. "Why?"

His startlingly blue eyes seem to glimmer slightly before he breaks into a grin. "So you can forgive me when I do this." His hand flies to my hair and ruffles it hard, tangling feathers into it. He stands back quickly, choking on his own laughter, as I immediately finger my hair, trying to feel whatever he put there. "Tobias!"

I run to the mirror, wipe the feathers off the glass and run my eyes over my reflection. My blonde hair stands up here and there, intertwined with bits of white feathers. At the top, a few strands are standing up and twined with a feather like a mohawk. Tobias clutches himself as he attempts to stop laughing by doubling over as if he's in pain. I sweep up a handful of feathers from the ground and stand up straight. "Tobias Eaton?"

"Yeah?" He straightens up for a split second.

"You better run."

Tobias almost trips over a nightstand before he starts running backwards and flies into the kitchen with me chasing him. A flurry of feathers flies up wherever we place our feet and whirls into the kitchen, a couple landing on the toaster.

"Aww," Tobias complains. "Now my toast is gonna be all feathery!"

"Your fault, Eaton!" I smile evilly, advancing towards him while clutching a handful of fluffy feathers. "You messed with the wrong girl. Now you're going DOWN."

"Tris?"

I whip around to the door, my other hand self-consciously going to my hair. Christina, Will, Uriah, and Marlene stand at the entrance to our apartment with the door wide open.

The only thing I can think to say is: "How'd you guys get in?"

Christina is still frozen in shock, and she holds up her arm almost mechanically. "You gave me a key."

"Oh. Yeah. Right."

I can't imagine what they're probably thinking. Entering an apartment and finding Santa's workshop. Yippee.

I hastily try and comb my hair down with a couple fingers. "It's not... We-"

"Pillow fight?" Uriah asks, his face stretching into a smile. I look at Tobias and roll my eyes. "Yeah."

Uriah walks into the white apartment, slightly shaking his head. "Such amateurs." He picks up a small black cushion and weighs it in one hand experimentally. "You know what you guys forgot?"

"What?"

"To invite me." He whirls around and fires the cushion at me with perfect aim. I shriek and toss it back at him, running to find another pillow so I wouldn't be defenseless. If there's one thing Dauntless has taught me, it's definitely how to win a pillow fight.

Marlene squeals as Uriah tackles her, rubbing a fistful of feathers into her hair. My eyes light up as I turn to Tobias. "I'm not done with you yet, mister."

Tobias comes back in the living room, grinning. "All right then." He flies toward me and pins me down near to Marlene. "Hey Will! We need you on the boys team, man."

Christina raises an eyebrow. "Boys vs. girls, huh?" Will high-fives her before taking off his shoes. "All right then, guys. We're comin in." Christina slowly removes her high heels as delicately as possible and places them on the dining table. Then with absolutely no delicacy at all, she jumps and lands on top of Uriah, pummeling him to the ground.

"Whoa, Chris!" He yells, spitting out a mouthful of feathers. "Don't go all maniac on me! Will, get her off!"

Will stands back, holding up both arms. "Sorry man. No can do."

Christina pauses to smile up at him. "If you _ever _want to sleep on our bed again, you better not touch me."

"And that opposed to?" Will hides a smile.

"Sleeping on the floor." Christina shrugs nonchalantly. Immediately, Will pats Uriah on the back. "You're on your own, mate."

Marlene grins and turns to lock eyes with me. "On three?"

"Why wait?"

We turn and push down Tobias and Will. I plant my knee on Tobias chest, making him shake with suppressed laughter. "If I was trying to beat you right now, you'd so go down. Like, you'd go down in flames." I roll my eyes in response. "But you're not trying, so I win!" I look around at the other girls, and then at all the boys lying on the floor. "Uh, yeah. We definitely win." Uriah makes a brief sound of protest before he's silenced.

Marlene sighs, getting up. "Okay, we really have to go to breakfast now."

I nod, getting off Tobias. Suddenly, I remember something. "By the way, what were you guys here for in the first place?"

"Capture the flag," Uriah says from the floor. Christina nods at him. "What he said. Today at 4. We came to tell you."

"Oh, kay."

"So you coming to breakfast now?" Will gestures at the door.

I look at Tobias, who shakes his head. "Give us a minute," I say. "We need to get dressed and figure out how we're going to get this place cleaned up." Uriah's eyes widen and he scampers away, a fake smile on his face. "I'll go down ahead to breakfast and... wait for you-"

"Zip it." I hold up one finger, half smiling. "You're staying to help clean."

"Shoot."

I duck inside the bathroom and speed-change into black tights and denim shorts paired with a short black t-shirt that reads "I hate two things. Irony and slogan t-shirts."

I walk back out and Tobias runs in immediately. "You take soooo long!" He yells from inside. "What... I..." Tobias is out again in 10 seconds flat, wearing a completely different outfit. "How did you-"

"I'm just amazing like that." He grins. "Let's go."

We walk down to the cafeteria and enter with everyone else. "I'll get food, you guys can go sit down." Uriah eyes the tables set out and laden with food. "I see a platter of chocolate muffins calling my name."

He flies away and we make our way to a table where Zeke and Shauna sit by themselves. "What's up?" Zeke asks, as we sit down. "You guys took FOREVER."

I shrug. "Pillow fight." No big deal.

"Pillow fight," Zeke repeats. "You had a pillow fight."

"Yes, pillow fight." Uriah appears and bangs down a tray filled with muffins, scrambled eggs, toast, and orange juice. I look up, confused. "That was fast."

"What can I say? Food tastes good." Uriah grins then turns to his brother. "Now, come on bro. It's not like YOU never had a pillow fight in your whole life."

"True." Zeke picks up a piece of toast and takes a bite, munching thoughtfully. His eyes grow wide and he struggles to swallow, bouncing excitedly. His toast finally disappears down his throat and he sighs in relief before bouncing up again. "Do you guys remember Uri's pillow fight against Lynn? Like... what... six years ago? That was TOTALLY epic."

"Oh..." Marlene leans back, shaking her head. "Lynn creamed him."

"She did not!" Uriah says indignantly, shooting up like a rocket. "Besides, you can't even cream someone in a pillow fight_._"

"Well, she did," Marlene shrugs, grabbing a blueberry muffin. "If she was here instead of out guarding the fence right now, she could prove it to you. I videotaped you guys on her phone." She smirks, taking a bite. "I figured it could be great leverage against future you."

"You WHAT?" Uriah leans back, aghast. "But... we were like eleven!"

"Same difference." Marlene smiles. Christina furrows her eyebrows and leans forward, her eyes flicking back and forth between the Dauntless born. "What was this, and when did it happen exactly?"

Shauna leans back, a laugh escaping from her lips. "So it was like this-"

Uriah interjects, his hands clasped together in a fruitless plea. "Please Shauna, please please please please don't tell them. Please?"

"Don't listen to him." Christina's eyes are gleaming and she nods eagerly. "Keep going, please."

Shauna smiles. "Sorry Uri. So it was basically a normal game of Candor and Dauntless, except we weren't playing the 'take your clothes off' part. Innocent children." She grins. "So we were thinking up these really stupid dares - Zeke got dared to dress up in a bright yellow duck costume, prance around the Pit like an idiot and give out free roses to everyone he met. And he gave one to Max."

"Max?" Will exhales softly and looks at Zeke, whose eyes are shut tightly.

"Yup." Shauna laughs. "Dude, Max was just like staring at it and then staring at Zeke. Just standing there. And he said, and I quote: 'Kid, I suggest you get outta here before someone breaks your neck.' And he just threw the rose back at him and walked away."

I stare at Zeke in wonder, who just sinks lower in his chair. Tobias raises his eyebrows, smiling. "Dude, you had a rose and you were only _13_, but even the _Dauntless leader _rejected you." Everyone starts laughing and Zeke slaps the table, smiling. "It was just a temporary fluke in my awesomeness."

"Okay, okay back to the story," Shauna grins. "So Uriah dared Lynn to a pillow fight. And then it turned into a bet. Zeke was more on Uri's side, and me and Marlene bet that Lynn would win. It worked out well, more or less. We went to the cafeteria after dark-"

"Which was my idea because of the cake-" Uriah added.

"And had the pillow fight on top of that big center table over there. After about 10 seconds in Uri was begging for mercy."

"I WAS NOT!" Uriah yells. He mutters under his breath. "It was more like 20 seconds."

Zeke pats Uriah's head. "And that cost me my slice of cake the next day. So you should've been more careful, little brother."

Christina sits back with a sigh. "Amazing."

Tobias checks his watch. "Hey, when did you guys set up Capture the Flag again?"

Will jumps in. "It's at 4. Hey - you guys are comin' right?"

"Totally."

"We'll see you then," I say. Tobias finishes my sentences. "We gotta go get the initiates."

"Okay, see you guys!"

A chorus of "bye" fills the air and we exit the cafeteria. "Well," Tobias grins. "Who knew pillow fights could be so entertaining?"

**Thanks for reading! Remember to review with your thoughts. I will try my best to update as fast as possible. Thank you guys and have an awesome day! See you soon…**

**~DauntlessProdigy4Life**


	24. Fluffy Fun

**I AM BACK! Not as long as the others. But still. This chapter is literally pure fluff. Like if fluff was a real thing and you put it in a blender and pureed it, it would be this chapter. Yeah. XD**

**Disclaimer: I still don't own Divergent, kay? Call you back when I do.**

I pull open the door to the initiate dorms and yell, "RISE AND SH... What do you think you're doing?"

I swear that this entire faction has gone crazy. The room falls dead silent as Holly, Bryan, and Claire simultaneously look up in shock, all three of them smeared with mud and bits of grass. Liam has his hands and feet tied behind his back and is lying on a bed splattered with purple grape juice. Alex has both hands covering his mouth, his body shaking with silent laughter. Britney sits on a bed across from him, her expression distraught and her messy hair piled high like a bird's nest. The whole room smells faintly of lilies and jasmine. I pick up an empty Chanel perfume bottle and Britney lets out a soft shriek. I turn to her and she casts her eyes down. Claire lets out a long breath though, turning to Alex.

"You guys used all of it?"

"Umm... I guess."

Claire shrugs, fanning the air. "Sorry, Brit."

I roll my eyes, tossing the bottle to Britney. "Okay guys, I'm not even going to ask." David appears from under a bed, drenched from head to toe and a glittery pink mark adorning his cheek. Lipstick. This proves too much for even Tobias and he has to turn away to hide the smile that creeps onto his face.

"Are we in trouble?" David asks plaintively. I shake my head. "You're welcome to keep going - knock yourself out. Just get this room cleaned up by three. You have a free day today - but be down by the train tracks by 4 for Capture the Flag."

I smile. Just as I turn to leave, an idea hits me like a flash of lightning. _Come on, it has to be there. _I grope in my pocket, praying that the little bag that was there earlier is still there. _Score! _Pulling it out, I push it into Alex's hand and call out over my shoulder, "By the way, did you guys know that paintball stains take forever to wash out?"

I hear a soft "Oh my god" and look over my shoulder to see a grinning Alex holding up a bag filled with little round balloons. Holly holds out a hand in front of her, shaking her head mechanically. Alex laughs. "You're the best, Six."

I smirk. "I know." Tobias grins. "Remember to save some energy for this evening, it would be terrible if half my team passed out during the game. See you later!"

We leave the room hurriedly and I can already hear sounds of "Splat" and piercing yells echoing from the dorm. Tobias sighs, throwing an arm around my shoulders. "Why are you always so evil, Tris?"

I consider the question. "I don't know, actually. Maybe it just comes naturally." I give him a cheesy smile and he shudders. "I'm scared for April first. After all, if it did erupt into a prank war or something, I'd hate for us to be on opposite sides." He stares at my wide eyes for a couple seconds and lets out a soft sigh. "We're going to have a prank war, aren't we?"

"Your idea!"

"True. Well, we're going to win. We have URI!"

"Well, umm the girls team has, umm..."

"They have you," Tobias points out. I brighten up at this. "Yup. They have ME! And do you want to mess with me?"

"No, ma'am," Tobias says meekly. I cross my arms, smiling. "Perfect. That's one opponent down."

"Hey, hey, let's worry about that when it comes," Tobias says as we reach the apartment door. He fumbles for his keys, still thinking. "It's still about five months away. Today's November... umm..."

"Twenty-ninth. It's been about a month since initiation started."

"OH!" Tobias brightens up, his face stretching into a smile. "What about Christmas?" He asks, as we enter our apartment and close the door behind us.

"We're going to celebrate Christmas?" I ask, a bit doubtfully. "Are you sure?"

"Hey," Tobias holds out his arms. "Think of it as a make-up for all the Christmases we've missed! Well, all the Christmases we've spent sitting around a gray table, eating quietly and being thankful for what we have. Not that it's a bad thing, but..."

"I guess." I smile. "We can have a party!"

"We can have a Christmas tree-"

"And presents-"

"And food-"

"And stockings-"

"And holly-"

"And mistletoe-"

Tobias cuts off and just looks at me. "Mistletoe?" I nod slowly. "Yeah, why.. oh." Color rushes to my cheeks and I bite my lip. "Yeah."

Tobias smiles, sliding two fingers under my chin. "It's fine." He bends down and every single other thought is wiped from my head as Tobias ever so gently presses his lips to mine. I wrap my arms around him, closing my eyes and revelling in the way his lips mold to mine, the way we seem to fit together so perfectly. Like two puzzle pieces. Like two parts of the same thing. Like us. We move in perfect synchronicity, my arms wrapped around him and his around me. Finally, Tobias pulls away gently and strokes my hair, smiling blissfully. "I love it when I get to do that." I smile, crossing my arms. "And remember you only get to do that as long as I let you."

"Oh, I know, and I have no intention of stopping that pact anytime soon." Tobias brushes a finger over my cheek. I smile, pushing his hand away. "Lemme go change."

I pull off my shoes and change into a short black skirt and crop top before flopping back onto the bed. "Hi," I say. Tobias looks over from flipping through the TV channels. "Sup."

I lie down and stare at the plain black canopy of our bed. "Ooh, ooh, ooh, Tris!" Tobias suddenly says. I ignore him and close my eyes.

"Tris. TRIS!"

"Shh. Be quiet."

"But I!"

I use the only threat I can think of this half-asleep. "If you talk again I'll break off the engagement."

The room becomes so quiet you could hear a fly sneeze.

"That's better," I smile.

"You talked!"

I sigh. "Tobias, I meant if YOU talk!"

"Wait, you did? But... wait... I TALKED!"

"Well, I guess the engagement's off then."

"Wait, WHAT?! NO! NO! NO! NO! TRIS! I'LL STOP I SWEAR PLEASE DON'T BREAK IT OFF! SERIOUSLY! SERIOUSLY! I'LL BE QUIET FOR THE REST OF MY LIFE DON'T PLEASE I LOVE YOU AND I WANT TO MARRY YOU AND PLEASE DON'T BREAK IT OFF AND-"

I sat up. The poor boy was begging so loudly they probably heard him across Chicago. "Tobias, chill."

Tobias lets out a loud sigh, flopping back down on the bed. "Phew."

"You just talked again."

"Please, Tris, just no."

I smile. "All right."

**Yay! See? I told you. Pure fluff ;). So, remember to review with your thoughts and I'll see you tomorrow!**

**-DauntlessProdigy4Life**

**(P.S.- That's right, I said TOMORROW. I'm gonna update tomorrow. I know right?! Wow. Okay bye for real now.) :)**


	25. Dreams

**Hey guys, I'm back! And thank you guys so much, we're nearly at a million views! I'll let you guys know when we pass the million mark. Thank you all SO, SO much - I love you guys.**

**Disclaimer: Still don't own Divergent and anything from any other TV shows or books (I think there's a line from Austin and Ally somewhere in this chapter). :)**

_**Tris POV**_

I fall asleep after a few minutes, lulled by the soft rhythmic whirring of the fan and Tobias stroking my hair to the same rhythm. I dream of my family. Blurred images of dinners and community services rush past, before my thoughts focus on one particular memory.

I was twelve years old and sitting in history class. That day had been particularly bad. The Erudite teacher in Faction History had been showing the class specific traits that each faction displayed; traits that were unique to their faction. She made all the Abnegation children line up next to each other. The class was a mixed one, so we were all of different ages. We all stared at the ground, not meeting anyone's eyes. The teacher laughed out loud, showing everyone else how similar we looked. Her next words were imprinted in my mind forever.

"All the Stiffs look the same. Plain, ugly, and overall average. It's what their faction mandates, you see. They're required to look this way. But of course, they've been brought up to accept looking this way - the poor things just don't know what it's like not to be plain all the time."

That statement echoed in my mind, and I almost stepped forward and told the teacher just what I thought of her. I clenched my fists and was just about to go forward when a soft touch brushed my wrist. My body grew rigid. Physical contact. From one Abnegation to another. The very thought of it was almost abhorrent. I sneaked a quick glance to my right, almost expecting to see Caleb. But it wasn't. It was a tall boy, at least two years older than me, with sapphire blue eyes. His long brown hair fell over his eyes as he kept his head down, giving no sign that he had heard me. Yet when I turned back and put my head down, the same warm touch brushed across my wrist.

The teacher told us to go back to our seats and I sat down, staring at my desk. A Candor boy next to me laughed as I sat back down. "Finally, one thing in this class that's actually right. You Stiffs are so plain boring, I don't even know how you put up with each other." The girl sitting beside him laughed and they high-fived each other. I tried to ignore them and made an effort to concentrate on the lesson, but the teacher's words words blended together. I gave up and put my head in my hands when a small piece of paper landed on my desk.

I had sat up, expecting someone to tell me, "Pass that on to so and so." Everyone around me had been sitting straight, their eyes fixed on the teacher or wandering. Not a single person was looking at me. I drew the note beneath my desk and opened it with shaking fingers, praying for it not to be another bully note. It wasn't.

_First, I'm sorry about touching your hand. Don't let any of them get to you, okay? Remember: It shouldn't matter what other people think of you, what matters is what you think of yourself._

It wasn't signed, though I knew who had written it. I looked for the boy and finally found him sitting about two seats away. He was looking at the teacher, though once she turned around to write something on the board, his head whipped around and he made eye contact with me. I couldn't do anything but stare as he gave me a small smile before beginning to write. I stared for a few more seconds before doing the same.

After school I tried to look for him, which was almost impossible in the crowd of students milling in the hallways and outside the school. I went home with Caleb, the paper still crushed in my hand. At home I straightened it out and read it again. The ink was faded and the paper was partially ripped, but it was still readable.

_It shouldn't matter what other people think of you, what matters is what you think of yourself._

That sentence got me through the rest of school till I was sixteen. While the Erudite called me plain, ugly, stupid, unintelligent, dense, ignorant, worthless, and a whole range of insults, that sentence got me through it. I ignored their insults and focused on the fact that I still had a family, had a brother, had friends who loved me and wanted me. Their insults blurred together like a background nightmare but didn't shake me so much anymore. Once I turned fourteen, I stopped seeing the boy. I decided that he had probably transferred.

The memory fades away and I yawn, flinging out my arms in a wide stretch. I smack something hard and the loud "OUCH!" alerts me that I've done something wrong. "Oh my god, sorry Tobias," I say, sitting up and drawing back my hand quickly. He rubs his nose ruefully. "Tris, what did I ever do to you?" He considers his question. "Don't answer that."

I smile and look at him, comparing to the boy of fourteen from five years ago. I think it was only when I came to Dauntless when I subconsciously realized that he was the boy who helped me through my early teenage years. Through that one, insignificant sentence. Tobias stops rubbing his nose and looks at me a little strangely. I narrow my eyebrows. "What?"

"Stop looking at me."

"I'm not looking at you!"

"You were."

"No I wasn't."

"Were."

"Wasn't."

"Were."

"Wasn't."

"Okay, fine." He stretches out, a smile on his face. I check my watch, still half asleep. "Three o'clock."

_Three o'clock. Three o'clock. _Something about that seems to nag me until I realize what's so bothersome.

"TOBIAS EATON, YOU LET ME SLEEP FOR FOUR HOURS!"

Tobias gets up slowly. "Wha?"

"Did you, or did you not let me sleep for three hours?"

"I did."

Another thought hits me. "We missed lunch!"

"You woke me up to tell me that?"

"And we have to get down to the train tracks for Capture the Flag," I point out. Tobias sighs. "Okay." He rubs his eyes sleepily, strands of his unkempt brown hair falling over his face. "I'll go change," I grin. I leave on my skirt but pull on a short but loose black t-shirt and a leather jacket. I pull my hair up in a comfortable messy bun and grab a pair of sunglasses before heading out to see Tobias still in bed.

"Hey, not fair."

Tobias smiles, throwing off the comforter. "I'm ready!"

He's completely dressed in black jeans and a t-shirt with a leather jacket slung over his shoulder.

"Okay then," I smile. "Then let's go!"

We head down to the train tracks and walk out into the open air. The heat hits me like a brick wall and I lift up a hand to shade my face from the sun. It's 3:55 and there's a crowd of people clustered around the train tracks. I jump up on a tall rock jutting out of the ground and give a loud yell. "YO!"

"I need all of you initiates over here next to Four. Everyone else continue doing whatever it is you're doing."

There's a slight scramble as the initiates unwind themselves from the chaos and appear beside Four. Christina and Uriah appear to, and I grin at them. "Hey."

"Sup," Uriah smiles.

I resume command. "Now, Dauntless borns one side, transfers on the other." They separate into two groups and I jump down to face the transfers. "Okay guys, head count."

I scan the group and come up with a total of six. "Where's Claire?" I ask. "Here!" I turn to see Claire jogging toward the group, a hand shading her eyes. "It's 3:59," she grins. "I'm technically not late."

"All right," I roll my eyes. "Train's gonna be here in a minute, you know what to do. Once we reach the pier follow us and then we're going to choose teams and get the guns. Everyone got that?" There's a general murmur of assent. I nod and hop down to find Chris, Uriah, and Four.

"I'm so excited!" Marlene appears and hops up and down. "Have you guys picked out team leaders?"

"I don't know, maybe Four and I." I raise my eyebrows at Tobias, who shakes his head frantically.

Zeke appears behind Four and raises his eyebrows. "Hmm, I don't know, Tris. Four doesn't seem to be quite on board with that idea."

"Oh, I know why." I smile evilly. "He's just too afraid to get his butt kicked by my epic team."

"You WISH!" Tobias crosses his arms and stares at me unblinkingly. "We're going to beat you."

"In your dreams, number boy." I smile, high-fiving Marlene. Uriah stops the taunts before they go any further. "Well, looks like we have our team captains, then."

A loud whistle sounds and a rhythmic chugging sound reaches our ears. "The train!" Uriah whoops as we all turn and begin running for the tracks. The train races by, shaking the ground and filling the air with a deafening whistle. I grab the handle of the nearest car and am hoisted up in by Tobias, who follows after. He's quickly followed by everyone else and most of the initiates.

We find a corner to settle in. "Wish Lynn could've been here," Marlene mused, absentmindedly twirling a piece of string around her finger. I shrug. "Probably guard stuff going on." Tobias nods, his arm tucked around me. Suddenly, his eyes light up. "Tris! Remember the Christmas stuff? We haven't told them yet!" I nod slowly. "You should tell them."

"Tell us what?" Shauna asks. I smile. "We decided to have a Christmas party."

The effect this has is amazing. It causes an instant uproar as everyone excitedly pounds us for the details. Zeke puts his hand on his heart, his expression shocked. "Excuse me? Isn't that kinda stepping on someone else's turf?"

I grin. "Not really, you can help." Zeke smiles, shrugging. "It'll give me more time to plan the after initiation one. It'll probably be sometime before the Christmas party though. I think."

"Yeah, ish..." I muse.

Christina's eyes grow wide. "Oh! We can have one on Christmas, and then another for New Year's!"

Will furrows his eyebrows. "Or... we can have a week long party that starts on Christmas and ends on the 31st to celebrate New Year's. Like... Christmas and New Year's in one party?" He trails off when he notices that we're all staring at him. "Or, maybe it wasn't such a good idea..."

"Will, that's AWESOME!" Uriah is the first to burst out his thoughts and he smiles, listing all the possibilities. "We'll have so much time for everything! Maybe we can go bowling again, and extreme paintballing, and swimming, and... and... and..." Marlene stops him there. "Okay, Uri, you can talk about that later. But don't keep me up tonight talking about that; you'll regret it."

"Okay."

A loud whistle interrupts our heated conversation as the train slows down a slight bit as we pass the pier. We jump up and walk to the the exit. I slip my hand into Tobias' and he squeezes it gently as we pause at the edge of the car.

"Ready?" I ask. He laughs, nodding. "You bet."

**So the next chapter is going to be Capture the Flag (finally). :) This was mostly a transition chapter, though I still hope you liked it! See you later!**

**~DauntlessProdigy4Life**


	26. Capture the Flag: Paintball Version

**AND I AM BACK FROM THE DEAD. No, I'm not a zombie. I AM ALIVE!**

**I AM SERIOUSLY SORRY ABOUT LEAVING THIS STORY. I've been so busy with starting a new grade, schoolwork, and the amount of homework we have and extra classes. I have SO much homework, basketball three times a week, and piano theory to do too. I am just insanely busy right now, and I am so, SO sorry. It was just like a week ago when I was like: "Oh. My Divergent story. Yeah. Forgot about that." I managed to do a bit of writing every day, thus leading up to this 3,700 word chapter you are reading right now. And once I started writing I realized how much I had missed it.**

**Anyway, here you guys go! I am back and this story is not on hiatus, to clear up anything. Hope you like this chapter!**

**Disclaimer: As always, I don't own Divergent.**

Our feet leave the edge of the car and we leap into the dark cloud of dust, coughing slightly. A large hand suddenly claps around my mouth and I barely have time to react before Tobias' low voice reassures me. "Try not to open your mouth." I almost sag in relief as we land on the ground and move away from the train. The dust rises up and clears all of a sudden, leaving the air clear and pure. The Dauntless whoop and yell as we all start walking toward the pier, and the air fills with a sudden buzz of noise. I catch my breath at the beautiful view, the early sunset sparkling on the water. The pale blue sky is streaked with bits of orange, contributing to a spectacular view.

Tobias tucks his arm around me, smiling. "This is going to be amazing, Tris."

I raise an eyebrow, a smirk playing on my face. "Like last year?"

"The Ferris Wheel? God, hopefully not like last year." Tobias laughs out loud. I grin. "Ohhh... you are making this so hard. I just want to run up the Ferris Wheel with the flag when the game starts-" Tobias lets out a little breath as my smile grows wider. "-which of course forces you to follow me up till the very top. The very, _very_, top." Tobias pulls me closer, and I can feel his warm breath on my skin.

I smile. "Let me finish. And then we get to the top. And of course, I can't let you get my flag! So I throw down the flag to one of my teammates down at the bottom and they run away, leaving you up there stranded. Which your teammates lose the fastest, best fighter they have and of course, we win." Tobias smiles. "Fastest, best fighter?"

I redden slightly. "Hey - you know - first place initiate that was offered Dauntless leader but _turned it down_, _four _fears, initiate trainer, strong enough to intimidate Eric, the only other Abnegation initiate to transfer to Dauntless, and one of the only four people on earth I love." We've stopped walking, and everyone swirls around us as we stand there, staring into each others eyes. The hubbub of voices has faded to a blur and Tobias is all I pay attention to. My voice has dropped to a whisper as I continue. "My heart and soul. Someone I would give everything for - who I've completely and totally fallen for." Tobias strokes my cheek, his eyes so filled with love and compassion that it fills me with a feeling that I can't quite describe. He is mine. I am his. Nothing else is possible. "I will always love you. To infinity and beyond." he whispers. His eyes swirl with emotion. I'm sure I'm pretty close to crying by now. Tobias brushes a blonde lock off my face and brings his lips about an inch away from mine. "Tris, I-" I cut him off and close the distance between our lips.

I raise myself up on tiptoes just the slightest bit and smile into the kiss, feeling him do the same back. It's like everything he needed to say was communicated with that kiss. It wasn't passionate by any standard. It was the softest, gentlest kiss you could imagine, which simply said, _I love you. _

I pulled away, smiling softly, and stroked his cheek. Tobias smiles, wrapping an arm around me. "Don't worry - I'm yours, Tris Prior."

"And I'm completely and utterly yours, Tobias Eaton."

Tobias grins and leans down to give me a slight peck on the cheek. "We better get going. As much as I'd love to kiss you again, I don't think they would enjoy waiting very much." As he finishes, a long yell of "FOUUUUR! SIIIIX!" rings in the chilly air. I let out a little laugh, tucking my arm into Tobias' and hurrying forward. "That's an understatement."

We reach the shore within a few minutes to a crowd milling around in front of a tall rock jutting out of the ground at the very edge of the shore. There are a few waves splashing around the base of the rock. Tobias and I make our way through the crowd.

"Let's run when the tide pulls back. I don't fancy getting wet on this freezing day," Tobias mutters under his breath. I murmur back, "Okay," before he's running. I race after him onto the wet sand, which flies up every time my sneakers hit the ground. The tide is just coming back onto the beach when we spring up onto the rock and climb up. We meet again at the top, slightly out of breath. "Ready?" I ask Tobias.

"Gimme a minute." He starts rummaging inside his jacket for something. He pulls out a slightly battered red box and tosses it to me. "Want some gum?"

I raise an eyebrow, half smiling. "Okay." I pull out a tiny pink rectangle and stuff it in my mouth before tossing the box back to Tobias. "Thanks."

"No problem." He grins and stuffs the box back in his pocket before turning to the mass of black. "HEY, GUYS!" A few of the members nearer to the front hear him and shush each other, but majority of the black clothed people keep chatting. I grin. "Hey Toby, lemme try." He rolls his eyes, but steps back, careful not to slip. "Fine. But don't blame me when you fail."

I wait for a few seconds till the tide rolls back so it'll make less noise. Then, taking advantage of the quiet, I cup my hands and yell as loud as I can: "YO!"

The yell reverberates around the clearing and people quiet down and look up at us, realizing that their leaders are trying to get their attention. That's better.

Tobias has his mouth open in shock as I stand back, grinning. "Hey, don't hate the player, hate the game." Tobias holds up both hands, smiling broadly. "I'm sorry." A loud yell of, "YOU GO, GIRL!" erupts from the audience and causes a round of applause, even though most people don't know what they're clapping for. I search for the source and find Christina jumping up and down, waving her hands at me from the back. I laugh and flash a thumbs up in her direction.

"Okay guys," Tobias says. "We're gonna have two teams, Six and I'll be team captains. We'll divvy you up then Six's team is gonna leave. My team will wait for a couple minutes before heading in the opposite direction. You got that?" There's a general mumble of assent as I step forward and cup my hands around my mouth again. "Initiates, could you come forward please?"

There's movement in the crowd as the 14 initiates, mixed transfer and Dauntless born, come out and look up apprehensively. "Should I start?" I murmur. Tobias runs a hand through his hair. "Be my guest."

I bite my lip as I scan the initiates. "Um... Holly." She reminds me too much of myself not to have her on my team. Tobias grins, his rebuttal quick. "Alex."

Holly and Alex move to different sides as Liam pretends to be torn between the two, a shocked expression plastered on his face. I smile. "Liam!"

"SORRY, ALEX!" Liam hollers as he runs toward Holly. She barely catches him in her arms as he topples her to the ground and they roll a few feet, arms and legs tangled. There's a murmur of laughter as Tobias throws his arms around me and pretends to do the same. There's a second of panic as my foot slips on the wet rock and I almost fall the 15 or so feet off the jagged rock, but Tobias catches my hand and pulls me up so that our faces are inches from each other. I can feel his heart beating quickly like mine. I look up at him lovingly, reaching a hand up to stroke his cheek. "Uh, HEY!"

A loud yell breaks us apart to see the entire Dauntless pride staring at us, not making a sound. I flush in embarrassment, straightening my t-shirt. "Okay, uh, back to sorting."

We divvy up the initiates pretty quickly. Tobias picks Claire and I get Bryan, which gets him with David and me with Britney. Yippee. I try to choose the Dauntless-borns based on how fast and agile they look, while Tobias seems to be going for more strength and endurance. We move onto Dauntless members, where Tobias has an advantage as he's known them longer. It takes a few minutes before we're all sorted, with about 40 or so people per team. According to Tobias, that's a lot.

"The paintball guns and the flags are back there by the train tracks," I say. "I'll get them!" Tobias says, and he sprints off toward the tracks. I take the time to get down from the rock and meet my team, an assortment of people of different ages and skill sets, though they do have one thing in common. Most of them look athletic and slightly muscular, with speed and agility. Tobias returns holding 2 flags, one glowing blue and the other bright orange.

"We'll take the blue," I say, holding out my hand. Tobias gives me the blue flag and the paintball guns; every single one with a glowing blue stripe across the barrell. He distributes the orange versions to his team, before turning to me with a huge grin.

"Bon voyage!" He says, with a mock salute. I roll my eyes, giving him a tiny sigh before turning and waving my team on. "Let's go!"

We begin our run towards the far left end of the pier, the end that houses the Ferris Wheel and a number of broken down carnival booths and houses. I check my watch as I run and realize that it's been 3 minutes. The other team will be leaving soon. We jog among the broken glass and mud, not breaking our pace once. At the back of the team is Britney, running slowly and shrieking every time a bit of mud flies up. God, I wish she had stayed in Erudite. But I slow down and wait for her to catch up, which she eventually does. I run alongside her in silence, waiting for her to calm down and realize who is next to her. Eventually, she does.

"Thanks for waiting," she manages to gasp out as we reach the rest of our group, all amassed at the base of the Ferris Wheel. "You're the nicest person in this whole group. What's your name?"

I turn to Britney and lift up my glowing paintball gun to my face, illuminating it. She gasps in shock. "Six?"

"Try not to hold us back next time." I say curtly. I turn away and jump up onto a hunk of dirty metal that looks safe. "I'm going to scale the Ferris Wheel," I announce. "To try and find the other team's flag's glow and to find something that could give us an advantage. Anyone want to come with?"

There's a rustle, before a girl steps out, her eyes bright and fearless. Holly. I should've known.

"Hey," I grin, stuffing the blue flag into my jacket. "Let's go."

We leap onto the first bar as one and climb, hand over hand, up the cold metal bars. The ground grows farther and farther as we climb higher, the frigid air giving me goosebumps. But the exhilaration of being so high... of the wind blowing in your face and the open night sky and the freeness... ohhh. I absolutely love it. I can almost imagine triumphant music playing in the background as Holly and I near the top of the Ferris Wheel, our ears and fingers freezing cold... but I'm filled with this freeness and exhilaration, this unstoppable feeling I never get anywhere else. But then I remember why we're up here and stop Holly. The bars are creaking slightly and it's dangerous to go up any further.

"Holly, we gotta look for the flag."

"Right," she says, slightly disappointed. We scan the ground below, searching for that one flash of orange that could lead us to their hideout. We stay up there for 5 minutes, searching, but there is nothing. "Let's go back down," I say. We carefully climb down, searching for strong bars and hoping nothing breaks. When we are nearly to the ground, I notice something. Every single house and beaten down booth has a flat roof with raised sides. Almost like a little terrace or balcony at the top of every house, with the sides about 3 feet high. It would provide perfect cover if we were to move along the houses. I focus on the roofs, trying to think of a plan, when Holly lets out a little shriek. "Six! Orange!"

My head flies up, and I am searching the dusty landscape below. "Orange? Where?"

"It's gone," Holly says, a bit disappointed. "But it was there."

I scan the ground, but all I see is darkness. "Are you sure?" I ask.

"Yes!" She insists. I look more carefully, but then I see it. The smallest flash of orange, darting out from a building about half a mile away. I turn to Holly, smiling. "Great job!" She grins, and we leap down from the Ferris Wheel to face the rest of our team. I take Holly's hand and lead her up on a hunk of metal next to me. They quiet down and face me.

"The other team is about half a mile down from here, hiding amongst the carnival booths. Holly figured that out." Liam lets out a whoop, which makes Holly flush in embarrassment. I smile and continue. "That area is higher than this one, so if we walk on the main path, we're easy pickings. We've got to get around them. Or over them." I point toward the roofs. "Those roofs are flat, and the sides are raised by about 3 feet. Plus, each building is close together. We can climb onto the roofs and move without being seen. It also provides excellent cover." They're nodding in approval. I smile. "Well, what are we waiting for? Let's go!"

Holly and I leap down and we all start running again. I quickly remind everyone to try to stay on patches of grass to make less noise. When we're less than a quarter mile from where we saw the flash of orange, I motion for everyone to stop. We're on the road, facing away from the Ferris Wheel. The lakeside is on our left, with the ramshackle buildings on our right. The road curves up after a bit, and if I'm not mistaken, I can just make out the outline of people standing at the top.

"Stay down," I whisper. We sneak towards the nearest building and hide behind it while I give out instructions. "When I say go, follow me up onto the top of the roof. Stay down, make sure you're not seen. Once we get past that line of orange guards, we'll split into two teams. The first team stays down but engages the orange guards from above, which gives you guys a great advantage. I'll lead the other team, and we'll sneak around and find the flag. Got it?"

There's a murmur of assent. I turn and feel my way up the 10 foot side of the structure, groping for window outcroppings and bars. I make it to the top and swing myself into the square niche.

"All clear," I whisper. The next Dauntless swings himself in. I begin moving to the other side of the clearing, pausing to look down and make sure there are no orange guards between this building and the next. Once I check that it is clear, I leap precariously onto the next roof, making sure to stay down. We move quietly and quickly. The two guards at the top of the hill pay no attention to us as we sneak by. I only relax as Britney, the last member of our team, slowly creeps by the guards, high above their heads. My team quickly moves far inland past the guards, and it's only after I've checked carefully for orange guards that I allow my team members to come down to the ground.

I divide my team roughly into two parts. "You guys are team one. Remember what I said. Don't get caught. Be careful." I look carefully at the team, and select a Dauntless woman with slightly graying hair and hawk like blue eyes. I think her name is Ariane. "Ariane, you're going to lead Team One. You've got experience." She nods, giving me a small smile. "We won't let you down."

Ariane turns and motions her team away. They disappear into the night.

I turn to my team, a mix of members and initiates, who stand, waiting. I grin. "Come on."

We sneak past the buildings, staying down. I scan the buildings, looking for clues, when suddenly I see a flash of bright orange in the tall grass by the lake. Too bright to be a paintball gun. The flag!

"The flag's over there," I whisper. "We'll go there in a minute. I need to hide our flag. Cover me." My team takes up defensive positions as I slip into the nearest building, careful to hide my blue stripe. Thankfully, it's deserted, but filled with debris and dirt. I search for a good place to hide my flag, and finally decide to bury it under the shards of a broken pot. I stuff it in and cover it with dirt, before slipping back out. I'm confident it'll stay safe there.

I lead the team towards the grass, keeping my gun ready. Holly runs next to me, her face a mask of determination. "Let's do this thing," She grins.

We sneak into the grass, staying low and keeping our eyes peeled for anything. Suddenly, the grass clears and we step into a huge clearing that extends all the way to the lakeside. My eyes are immediately drawn to the huge orange flag at the end of the clearing, glowing bright, but hanging a little too still for my liking. I pause, scanning the empty clearing. Something isn't right. There should be guards. As I take a step forward, my foot crunches on a pile of leaves, and I cringe. As if on cue, guards roll out of the grass and point their guns at us as soon as they see our bright blue stripes. A tall black-haired boy, who seems to be the leader, steps forward, silently challenging me. For some strange reason, he has a black cloth tied around his nose and mouth, only exposing his blue eyes, which seem familiar. Our two sides stand there for a few seconds, sizing each other up, before the an orange guard yells. "GET THEM!"

And we explode at each other, paint splattering everywhere as Dauntless engage in hand to hand combat. I run straight for the flag, but the boy is in my way as he throws an uppercut at my left arm. I dodge, ducking under his arm, and remember my gun. I fake one way and then throw a punch at his stomach, which gives me a few seconds. My gun is lying on the ground. I pick it up, shake out the paint balls and grab a purple one. As the boy begins to get up, I spin around and smash it into his face, being sure to cover his eyes as well. He groans in defeat, and I smile as I turn around and walk towards the flag. The other orange guards stay out of my way, and my blue team cheers as I pick up the flag in victory.

"WOO HOO!" The clearing erupts with cheers as the Dauntless put down their weapons, some happily, and some a with a little disappointment.

Many other Dauntless jump into the clearing after hearing our cheers, and either cheer with us or sag in defeat. But it all turns into a round of clapping and whoops as I lift up the flag, a big grin pasted on my face. Suddenly, looking at my team, I think of something. "Initiates!" I say. "Come here."

They emerge from the crowd; wet, bedraggled, and splashed in paint; but grinning. Smiling and grinning and whooping with energy. I smile as I take the flag and hand it to the first initiate in line, which happens to be Alex. "Here you go," I say. "It's your victory too."

A Dauntless member starts the cheering as everyone whoops and claps for the initiates, who are smiling away with flushed cheeks. Suddenly, the boy I was fighting groans, clapping a hand to his head. I turn and help him up. He's much taller than I realized. Wait a minute. I take a closer look at him, and his hair. I run a finger through his black hair, and pull it out. My finger is covered in soot. Quickly, I push my hand forward and run it through his hair, washing out the soot. He has brown, almost bronze hair. I grab the black cloth and pull it away from his face to confirm what I already know.

"Tobias?" I whisper.

Then much louder, I sigh. "OH MY GOD."

**Hope you liked it! Remember to review with your comments, I read every single review multiple times and I love you all. Thank you so much for reading and see you next time!**

**-DauntlessProdigy4Life**


	27. More Fun and Fluff

**What up guys, and I AM BACK! And god, I am so tired. I was biking back from school today, and my bike fell on my leg and scratched it. I was mortally wounded. Like TRIS! (Sorry, inside chapter joke. You'll find out as you read this chapter). So anyway, I am going to attempt to be more consistent with my updates. I can't promise on a certain day though, but you will get your chapters. Promise. :D**

**Disclaimer: I'm not Veronica Roth. Not even close.**

Tobias grins happily. "Yes, Trissy?"

I run a hand through my hair. "What? That was you?"

"Yes," he says angelically.

"And why do you have black hair?"

"Because I'm cool." I start toward him and he holds up his hand, his eyes wide. "No, no, that's not what I meant!" I smile. "Keep going."

"I wanted to see how hard you would go on me if you didn't know it was me fighting against you." He laughs. "And god Tris, you seriously kicked butt."

I put a hand to my chest. "Oh, I know, I know. No autographs, please!" Tobias plays his part. "Oh but please, please, Trissy! I am seriously your biggest fan! Just one, please?"

I pretend to be contemplating it. "Nah." I turn away, grabbing his arm and pulling him up next to me. "Great game, though," I say, smiling widely. "I KNOW!" Tobias says, grinning. "Your guys' technique! The way you snuck up! I have got to use that at some point."

"But I'll know if you use it against me," I point out. Tobias smiles. "Ah, but who said I would be using it AGAINST you?" He waggles his eyebrows and pulls me in closer. "I call you for the next game. No way are we playing on separate teams again."

I laugh because of the sheer childishness of that remark. "You can't CALL me."

"Of course I can call you!" Tobias says, offended. "I CALL TRIS FOR THE NEXT GAME!" He yells. "ANY OBJECTIONS?"

His yell is drowned out by the loud noise around us, but he takes the lack of response as affirmation. "See?" He says happily. "You're mine now."

"I thought I was already yours?" I smile. He bites his lip, thinking. "Then... you're mine twice."

"Nah..." I say. "Come on, you can do better than that."

Tobias looks at me, contemplating what to say. 'You're mine forever and always?"

"Better," I urge softly.

"You're mine till the ends of the Earth. Till we have lived a thousand lifetimes and loved in every single one of them. Till fate decrees that the world will end, we will always be together." He leans down and brushes his lips softly across mine. "Good enough?"

I smile up at him, admiring the way his expression takes on a serious tone when he says that. "Wonderful."

We hop onto the train and ride back to Dauntless, bantering playfully. As we walk into the Pit together, a strange craving hits me.

"I want a waffle," I announce.

Tobias' face goes through a series of expressions. Surprise. Then his mouth slowly stretches into a smile before he is almost choking to try and conceal his laughter. "A waffle? Where did that come from?"

"I dunno," I say. "I'm kinda hungry."

"Okay Tris," he smiles. "Let's go get your waffle."

We enter the breakfast pavilion and I see an assortment of foods piled up on trays near the entrance. Probably leftovers from the day. I grab a blueberry waffle and drizzle some maple syrup on it. As we leave the pavilion, I see a small figure huddled against the wall, an iPad in his hand. I frown. Technology is extremely restricted in Dauntless, and permission is only given to an express few. I shrug, resolving to corner Will about it later.

"Come on!" Tobias says, hopping from foot to foot. "Slowie."

"You think I'm slow?" I stuff the rest of my waffle into my mouth. "Wet's wace."

"What?"

After much difficulty, and needing Tobias to pound my back, I swallow my waffle and repeat it. "Race back to our apartment. Ready? GO!"

I take off sprinting, hiding a laugh as I hear the distant shout of "No fair! You got a head start!" - and the sudden pounding of feet as he tries to catch up. I sprint as fast as I can, but he seems to be right behind me. We reach the apartment door at exactly the same time, breathing heavily and smiling.

"That's a tie," I say.

"No way!" Tobias objects. "I was like a millimeter in front of you. So, ha!"

"Yeah, right," I scoff. "Like you could beat me."

"I could!"

"Keep telling yourself that." I fumble with the apartment keys for a second and push open the door. Tobias pushes past me into the apartment, his nose high in the air and his expression disapproving.

Smiling, I close and lock the door. "I'm going to go shower!" I call to Tobias, looking down at my dirt-covered clothes and arms.

"Hmmph," is the only reply I get. I roll my eyes and grab a towel before heading into the bathroom.

An hour later, I'm out of the bathroom, my skin tingling from the boiling hot shower. I put on a pair of fluffy pink sweatpants and a green sweater before walking out of the bathroom. A laugh bubbles in my throat as I spot Tobias spread-eagled on the bed, his eyes closed and a blissful expression on his face. I hop onto the bed beside him, snuggling into his arm.

"Mmm..." I let out a sigh as I feel his warmth seeping into me. "Perfection."

Tobias let out a soft murmur of "Tris..." and pulled me closer. My eyes closed, my body finally giving in to my exhaustion, and I knew no more.

"RISE AND SHINE!" I hear the grinding sound of curtains being pulled open and suddenly the room is flooded with sunlight.

"AAHHH!" I shriek, pulling the comforter up on top of me. "THE LIGHT! IT BURNS!"

Something heavy plops onto my stomach, and I groan. "Oww..."

"Wake up, Tris!"

"Later. Give me a minute... or better yet, give me a couple years."

Something yanks the comforter off of me and I am instantly cold. "Ohhh..." I curl up in the fetal position, trying to get warm.

"Tris..." Tobias' face floats above me. "Tris. Tris. TRIS!"

"What?" I grouch, attempting to pull back my blanket.

"We have to go train initiates today!"

I am instantly awake, shooting up in bed. "What time is it?" I fire off at Tobias, who just sits on the bed, grinning cheesily. "9:00."

"WHAT?!"

"Relax, it's 7:00. You've got an hour."

I fall back down, pressing a hand to my forehead. "I don't like you."

"Liar."

"I really don't like you."

"Double liar."

I groan, rolling off the bed, spreading out my arms for dramatic effect. As if on cue, my hand hits the edge of the nightstand.

"Oww."

Tobias turns around. "Wait, Tris, are you okay?"

"NO!" I say, cradling my mortally wounded hand. "All thanks to you."

"I'm sorry," he says, sticking out his bottom lip in a pout.

"Sure," I mutter, turning away to hide my grin. I flounce into the bathroom and splash some water on my face, sighing. I take a quick shower, brush my teeth, and change into a pair of black denim shorts, a gray sweater and some comfortable black Vans.

"READY!" I yell, walking out. "Great," Tobias grins. He takes up my hand in his and I feel that familiar tingle I always do when I'm near him. "Race you to the pavilion!"

He takes off running, and after a wistful smile, I chase after him.

**Hope you liked it! I'll update soon. For my other story (technically, it's a one-shot), World of Divergent, I've decided to add on to it, though that story will not be a very long one. Maybe just around 10-15 chapters or so before I end it. So anyway, I'm going to update that story this weekend. Check it out, if you want! Anyway, I think that's all. See you guys later! Love you all!**

**-DauntlessProdigy4Life**


	28. Changes

**What's up, guys? I'm back! Here's the next chapter. I think I've finally figured out more of a direction I want this story to go in. It's been a little all over the place recently, and I've decided to squeeze it back into a certain direction. Tell me if you have any ideas, I love to hear from you guys. Anyway, hope you like this chapter!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Divergent or any of the Harry Potter references from this chapter.**

Tobias eats his muffin, musing thoughtfully. "Hey Tris."

"Yeah?" I mutter, engrossed thoroughly in my blueberry waffle.

"So, you know how... like... we're Dauntless leaders and all, right?"

"Yup."

"Why don't we change Dauntless? Change initiation, the way our faction works, and all that stuff. Fix it."

My waffle drops on the ground. Pity.

"WHAT?" I half-yell, turning to Tobias.

"You know, change it. Make it more about the Dauntless manifesto. We've complained about Dauntless becoming more and more about mindless drones fighting each other. And we're Dauntless leaders. So why don't we change it?"

His words slowly begin to sink into my head. And slowly... slowly... they begin to make a little more sense. "That's..." I begin.

"Yes?" Tobias asks, a little fearfully.

"Actually a really great idea!" I finish, completely blown away. My mind begins to race with the endless possibilities. "We can change initiation to be more about courage in the face of the unknown, and recreate the faction around the Dauntless manifesto..." My mind flies back to a time during my initiation. "Tobias?"

"Hmm?"

"Do you remember during my initiation and the fights, when you said 'A brave man acknowledges the strength of others', and then Eric said, 'A brave man never surrenders?'"

"Yeah - oh!" Tobias says.

"Exactly," I smile. "That's the kind of thinking we need to change. Our faction cares too much about fighting, and never surrendering. That's what they think bravery is. We need to change that. And the fights. They believe fighting is important and that it resolves everything." I recall a line from the Dauntless manifesto.

_We do not believe that learning to master violence encourages unnecessary violence._

Tobias pulls a crumpled piece of paper out his pocket and a battered pen. "Here. We can make a list."

I take a bite of my waffle, simultaneously writing down "Alter initiation". I sigh. "I really wish we had thought of this BEFORE initiation started. We could've changed the fights..."

"True," he murmurs. "But all we can do is alter it now."

"I know."

Tobias suddenly perks up. "I've got an idea. After training today, we should go visit the Dauntless leaders' office. Anyway, that's where we're going to work after initiation, you know?"

A potential problem hits me. "Wait. I'm already Ambassador to Factions. What should I do?"

Tobias considers this. "Technically, ambassador to factions is already included in our job description. You could potentially pass the position onto any one of the initiates and they could be our "assistant" in a way. Oh! That's another thing we have got to do. Add more jobs to the list."

I contemplate his idea. "That's true. A bunch of initiates every year are sent to the fence and they spend their entire time in Dauntless there, watching for attacks on the city that never come." I roll my eyes. "And I bet that the Erudite have solutions and the technology for a city-wide security system and defense mechanisms."

"Well, if they do, Jeanine's never going to give it up," Tobias snorts.

I grin. "Jeanine wants information on Divergents, right?"

"Yeah..."

"Then we'll give it to her."

"Tris!" Tobias says, aghast. "We can't do that!"

"Relax," I say. "We'll give her just enough information that she'll give us access to the Erudite labs. Maybe we can find Caleb and convince him to help? After all," I smirk. "He wouldn't go against his great and powerful leader, Jeanine Matthews, would he?"

Ten minutes later, we're walking out of the breakfast hall, the paper covered in notes and ideas.

"Wow," I say. "For once, you actually had a good idea."

"Hey!"

We enter the training room. Time to begin Stage One.

"So all of you have gone through one of your fears at least once, right?" The initiates nod, a little apprehensively. There is only approximately a week until their final stage of initiation. The entire fear landscape.

Tobias and I exchange glances. "We've decided to help you out a little. So - we realize there's no use in dumping you into a fear landscape and expecting you to know what to do. So today is going to be devoted to learning about fear landscapes, and individually working with you one on one. We're going to guide each of you through your entire fear landscapes."

Surprisingly, the initiates stay silent. "Six?" Claire asks.

"Yeah?"

"Does this mean... like... you're going to know all our fears?"  
I smile. "It's not a bad thing, Claire. We're not going to tell anyone. But we'll only know one of your fear landscapes. We have a couple friends we're bringing in, because I'm working with just Holly, and Tobias is working with just Liam. Our temporary instructors will work with the rest of you individually." They nod, a slightly hopeful expression on their faces. "Okay, give us a minute and we'll start talking about the theory behind fear landscapes."

I turn away at the sight and murmur softly to Tobias: "God, I really don't want to cut any of them."

Tobias smiles sadly, pressing a soft kiss to my lips. The warmth of the kiss sends an electric current through my body. I lose myself in his minty smell, a sense of bliss running through me. He pulls away, and I momentarily feel a sense of loss. "It'll be okay, Tris. You'll know what to do - when the time comes."

I sigh, feeling so conflicted. "We're a week away. I know all of them. They're all so eager and hopeful... and they look up to us." I smile wistfully. "Well," I snort. "All of them except for Britney."

Tobias snickered. "Like she would ever admit that she looks up to you."

I look up, slightly skeptical. "She doesn't look up to me!" I roll my eyes. "The world would plunge into storms and fire and the sun would explode before she would look up to me." Tobias gives a snort of derision. "She does. She just doesn't know it yet."

I roll my eyes. "Right..."

"She does!" Tobias insists. "No one can diss my Tris." He presses another kiss to my forehead.

I sigh, trying to push him away half-heartedly. He grins.

We pull out the hologram I set up earlier and turn it on. A bright transparent screen flashes into the air, with a picture of a bed covered in straps on it.

"All right, guys. Theory behind fear landscapes. Here we go." Tobias walks forward.

"The idea of a fear landscape is actually very recent, but the theory of a human having a set of fears goes back for hundreds of years. Back when the factions were formed, an unnamed person found a certain piece of parchment. It described hundreds of torture methods and recorded what people did when they were subjected to a certain method. The Erudite have made numerous guesses as to where it came from, possibly even from before the time of the factions. Unfortunately, we have no record of what took place before the factions, as you already know. But one of these methods was special. It was called the Parrilla."

Tobias pulls out a whiteboard and creates a rough drawing that looks a little like a bed frame. "The victim would be tied to this metal frame and be subjected to electric shocks. However, the strange thing was, after a few shocks, they began crying out the name of their worst fear. They appeared to be under some sort of delusion that they were experiencing it, in their own head. That was what led to the idea of a group of certain fears that a human has, and there were many speculations that a person could be made to experience these fears in their own head. A simulation, to be exact. The Erudite took this information, and adapted it after many experimentations. They created the fear landscape."

The initiates all have mixed looks of horror and confusion on their faces. "But... why?" David asks.

"It was developed as a weapon," Tobias answers simply. "Then they gave it to Dauntless in exchange for cooperation and backing. Dauntless leaders started using on initiates to test courage, and, well... you know how it goes from there."

I smile, walking forward. "You don't need to be worried. The fear landscape is safe, of course, when used correctly. You'll all be fine." They seem to relax a little bit more at this.

Tobias clears his throat to continue. "The reality of a fear landscape is that it's very easy to overcome!" He smiles slightly. "It's more of a personal test. You have to convince yourself that it isn't real. It's all in your head. It's trying to provoke you into reacting. Screaming, crying, etcetera. You have to slow your heartbeat down enough to stay calm."

"That's it?" Bryan asks, looking surprised.

"That's it," I grin. "Or there's a second approach. You could face your fear. Let's say your fear is of drowning. You've got to face it. Jump into the water. In essence, that would end that particular fear."

"Cool!" Liam exclaims. "I thought we had to just wait it out or something."

I bite my lip. "Sorry if we weren't clear enough, before."

"Are you kidding?" Holly asks. "You and Four are great instructors." The initiates murmur assent.

Britney says nothing, just shoots me a glance before flicking her eyes back down. "Yeah, Four. You're great," she whispers, just enough so I can hear it. I have to force myself not to react.

Tobias continues, oblivious. "There is actually just one reference to fears. It's a small piece of paper in the Erudite library. It's been studied down to the smallest details. The Erudite scientists have no idea when or where it is from, it just appears to be torn from a book. It doesn't mention the fear landscape exactly. It actually mentions someone named "Harry Potter" and another person named "Neville Longbottom". There is also something called a "Snape". It is described as being greasy haired and dark. Basically, this "Neville Longbottom" sees a Snape, and he imagines it with a vulture hat and bright red handbag. He performs some sort of wizardry, and the Snape then sported those articles of clothing. Well, actually he said the word "ridiculous". The Erudite think the author made a spelling error as he or she spelled it like 'RIDIKKULUS'. We believe this came from a time period where people were able to imagine things, and those things came true. This is actually a useful technique for getting over the initial shock of your fear. Use your imagination; make it funny!"

"That's interesting," Claire muses.

"So? Are you guys ready?" I ask. I hear a cheer from Liam and the rest nod, grinning. "Well? What are we waiting for?"

**Hope you liked it! Please leave a review and give me your input, I'd love to hear it! Until then, see you next time!**

**~DauntlessProdigy4Life**


	29. The Entire Fear Landscape

**I am back. Guess what.**

**So I wanted to get this up for you 2 weeks ago: I had 3/4 of it written then. But then, as robst puts it, "this chapter fought me tooth and nail". I had severe writers block after a few of the fears. I just can't write fears. I can't. I hope it's not too horrible? Anyway, I really hope you like it. I hope to get the next chapter up soon.  
**

**Disclaimer: I most certainly do not have a net worth of 20 million dollars. Well, I guess that means I'm not Veronica Roth.**

* * *

I scan the crowd. Each initiate is paired up with one older Dauntless member. "Everyone ready?" I ask.

"Yup!"

I still can't believe it. The initiates look so much happier given that they're going into a fear simulation. I guess our session helped. Holly has a mixture of hope and happiness playing across her face.

"Let's go!" Tobias says. He picks up a piece of paper. "Uriah and Alex?"

"HERE!"

I grin. "That wasn't roll call, Uri."

"Oh." He yawns exaggeratedly. "I knew that."

"Room 34C," Tobias finishes. They head out.

"Zeke and Bryan, Room 28B."

Zeke whoops "YAY!" as he dances out the door. Bryan follows him slowly and catches my eye. He slowly points at Zeke and makes the cuckoo sign. I laugh and nod, giving him a thumbs up sign.

Tobias finishes calling out all the room numbers for the fear simulations. As Marlene and Britney leave, Marlene rolls her eyes and gives me a pleading look. Britney is chattering about something without stopping. As they pass me, I hear "friends with HER!" At this, Marlene whirls around and yells, "WHAT HAS SIX EVER DONE TO YOU, YOU..." She calms down, taking a deep breath. "I... I don't want to swear."

They continue bickering on the way out.

"Six and Holly?" Tobias grins. "Room 46A."

On our way out, I elbow him. Hard. "You did that on purpose! You know Room 46 is never used."

"Hey," he grins. "Just a little something for us!"

Holly and I walk down the hallway, making small talk. As we get into the 40's, she's shaking slightly and seems to have accepted the reality of what's about to happen. We enter Room 46. It's exactly the same as all the other rooms, a tiny 8x8 room with a small cushioned chair and wires disappearing into the wall under a computer monitor.

"Holly?" I smile. "Mind getting into the chair?" She's frozen at the doorway, hand clenched around the doorknob. She takes a step back.

"I... I don't think I can do this."

I step forward, trying to appear calm.

"Holly, you can. It's a matter of personal confidence, remember? You are strong enough. You'll be great."

"I..."

"Come on," I whisper. "I'll be with you every step of the way."

She pauses, and takes the tiniest step forward. I hold out my hand and she takes it, walking forward quickly. She gets into the chair and brings up her knees, shaking.

I make sure to appear calm. "I'm just going to attach the wires to our forehead, okay?" I hold up a blue wire and a black one. "Nothing bad, just we have to wear headpieces. Are you okay so far?"

She lets out a muffled "Yeah". I nod and quickly scan the room for security cameras. I don't want anyone seeing her Divergence on the monitors in case she doesn't manage to mask it. Then, I find the flashing headpiece and fit it onto her forehead, making sure that the blue wire is secure. "You okay?" I whisper. "Comfortable?"

"Yeah. Tris?"

I start. I forgot that she knew my real name. "Yeah?"

"How... how many fears will I have?"

"That depends, technically. You're Divergent." I see her wince and quickly give her a smile. "It's all right. So because you're Divergent, you will most likely have less fears than everyone else, because you can more or less sense that the simulation is not real. So what you have to do is hide it. Act Dauntless. Instead of changing the simulation, face it or end it. Calm yourself down. Face your fear. You understand?"

"Kind of."  
I quickly pull on my headpiece and tug at the black wire to check. It's secure. I pull out the syringe filled with the bright blue liquid and Holly takes a deep breath. "You ready?" I ask. "Remember, I'll be there with you. Right next to you."

"I can do this. I'm ready."

I slowly pierce her skin and press down the plunger. Her eyes roll back and she takes deep breaths. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine," She says, through clenched teeth. "I can do this."

We sit in silence. Slowly, my vision begins to darken, and I blink furiously. No matter how many times I go into a fear landscape, I still can't escape the feeling of powerlessness I feel as my vision starts to black out. I manage to squeak out: "Remember, I'll be there. Be brave." before my vision changes to a murky brown and turns black.

"Hello? Tris? Are you here?"

"Holly?"

"It's me!"

"I'm here, Holly."

"Good." I hear a sigh, suddenly replaced by a gasp. "Tris..."

"What is it?" I am instantly on alert. I scan the darkness when something flares up. A burst of orange flame. It illuminates the area around us. A small circle ringed in trees and wood, the edges dropping off into darkness. The flame jumps onto the nearest tree and a horrible crackling noise can be heard as the flames devour the tree, much more quickly than regular flames and growing steadily. Holly takes a step back, fear evident on her face. The flames shoot into the sky unnaturally and begin creeping towards us. Holly takes another step back, and suddenly a bucket of water materializes in her hand.

"HOLLY!" I yell over the crackling. "Don't show your Divergence!"

She gives a small whimper, but the bucket slowly turns transparent and fades away into the air. She clenches her eyes tightly, and as suddenly as they closed, they open again. "Be brave," I whisper, but she's already calm. Holly takes deep, raggedy breaths. "I'm ok. I'm fine. I'm..." She looks up. "Tris?"

"Yeah?"

"If... If I jump... into the fire, will I be taken to the next fear?"

"Probably, because that would count as facing your fear," I answer. She presses a palm to her forehead and takes a deep breath. "I'm ready." Holly takes off running and disappears into the dancing flames after a small moment of hesitation. Grinning, I follow.

As I leap into the flames, there's a faint tickling sensation before I'm falling. I smack into the ground, hard, and sit up with a groan. I start picking gravel off of my face. "Holly?"

"Tris! You're here," She says, sounding relieved.

"Of course I am!" I say. "I'll be right here." I look around. I can't see anything. Just darkness.

Suddenly, voices start up, hissing and groaning. "You know what you are... You will die..." This is the fear that I saw before. The one that showed me that she was Divergent. I lean forward, watching her reaction closely as her hands begin crumbling into sand again. She looks on, terrified, then her face clears and she begins sprinting. I race to catch up, and look on as she yells. "I'M NOT AFRAID! COME OUT!" Her face is a mask, devoid of any emotion. We keep running, and then we are falling... falling off of a cliff and into thin air. And then, SMACK.

"Oww," I whisper, brushing dirt off of my face. "Can we please not keep hitting the ground?" I mumble to no one in particular. We're in a deserted alley, littered with broken cans and glass, with wisps of dust in the air. It's eerily quiet. Too quiet. Suddenly, someone brushes past me with force, pushing Holly to the ground. I whirl around, aching to do something as the man drives his elbow into Holly's chest, but I can't interfere. I watch helplessly, hoping and praying that she'll come to her senses. But now, she's just lying there, pale, white, and trembling.

"P... Please don't hurt me-" she whispers.

"Don't hurt you?" The man snarls and he slaps across the face. "Well, you should've thought of that before you mouthed off to me!" He lifts his boot and stomps on her face. I cry out and run forward, attempting to stop him, but my arm passes through his body. He can't see me. It's not my fear. I can't change it. "You've got to suffer the consequences," He says, with a maniacal grin.

Holly's nose is trickling blood, but when she sees me, a change goes through her. She becomes visibly stronger. The man notices too and starts forward but she leaps up and backhands him across the face, then kicks him in the gut. He falls down, yelling at her. She plants one of her boots on his chest and leans down. "No. I don't."

She turns to smile at me and I barely have time to give her a thumbs up before we dissolve into the next fear.

The last four fears are much better. She moves through them with a sense of purpose. Each is over within fifteen seconds or less. Fear of killing loved ones. She moves through that almost robotically, picking up the gun and killing her parents without second thought. "I know they're not real," She says quietly, almost to herself.

Fear of mummies. We arrive in a cemetery. The overlapping trees block out any light, and the wind whistles through the grass. The gate swings on its rusted hinges, creaking and swinging back and forth. Twigs crack around us, here and there, almost randomly, intermixed with groans and shuddering noises. A creature wrapped in bloodied straps, shuddering forward, moves slowly towards Holly. I don't bother worrying about Holly, I know that she knows what to do. A thud later, and I grin. "You're getting the hang of this!"

Holly smiles slightly. "I think I am."

Fear of tsunamis. We're on the beach. It's your average sunny day, the sand hot and sharp and the sun glowing white-hot. The waves crash onto the beach, sending spray all over us. Holly shivers, pointing at the water. "Six."

A loud noise, almost like a freight train, hits me like a brick wall and I stumble back, clutching my head. "What was that?""

The water is... moving.

Okay, perhaps that wasn't the best choice of words. Let me rephrase that.

The water is moving. Backwards.

And not just like the pulling back of a wave. There's a huge suction noise as the seawater pulls back, almost unnaturally, and flies up to form a huge 30 foot wave. There are fish flopping on sand in front of the wave; sand which used to be covered by water.

Final fear. Rejection. Holly appears in Erudite blue. I can tell we're in an Erudite classroom by the telltale signs of blue walls, chalkboards, and piles of books clothed in blue book covers. Holly bounds up to a dark-skinned girl with wavy hair, who is talking animatedly to a group of other girls. My heart breaks as she is turned away by her old friends. Her parents. Then suddenly, more recent acquaintances began appearing and yelling at other initiates. Tobias and I. And finally, Liam. He yells at her, screaming that he can't believe he ever cared about such a worthless person. And then, something inside of her seems to break and she punches him in the face. She calms down quickly, letting her heart rate calm so we can go to the next fear. "I'm sorry," she says, as the world begins to dissolve. "I know I shouldn't have done that."

I shake my head softly. "It's all right. It was just your emotions. I'd react the same way." She smiles wistfully, looking down.

"Hey," I say, smiling. "You did it."

Holly breaks into a grin, her face that of euphoria. "I did! I FINISHED THE FEAR LANDSCAPE!" And as the classroom starts to fade, she flies at me and wraps her arms around my waist, burying her face in my shoulder. "Thank you, Six. I couldn't have done it without you."

I hug her back, smiling. "I... You're welcome."

* * *

**And that, ladies and gentlemen, was Holly's fear landscape. I hope it was all right, I have writer's block every single time I write fears. It's just my thing. But remember to review, and I will see you soon! Oh by the way. I just checked hits on this story, and HOLY GUACAMOLE. OVER 127,000?! I LOVE YOU GUYS SO SO SO MUCH! I can't even wrap my head around the fact. 127,000 hits. Whoa. I'm not an amazing writer, so I'd consider myself lucky to get 1 hit, let alone over 100,000.**

**I love you guys. See you soon.**

**~DauntlessProdigy4Life**


	30. Passing Time

**Hey guys :D I'm trying to get this up quickly, I've got a basketball game to get to and I'm a little late. Sorry this is a little short but I wanted to get something up this weekend, be it short or long. I promise the next one will be longer. This is more of a filler chapter. Please don't hate. Anyway, hope you like!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Divergent.**

* * *

I barely remember the rest of the day. We took a short break after Holly's fear landscape and went to go visit Tobias and Liam to see how they were doing. I made up as story about wanting to go see how Liam was doing and to go say hi to Tobias, but it was more for Holly's benefit than anyone. When she saw Liam lying in the chair, perfectly fine and teasing Tobias about flinching at one of his fears, she visibly relaxed and flew at him, wrapping him in a tight hug. I find Tobias and give him a kiss. "Hey," he says, once we break apart. "You okay?"

"Yeah," I whisper. "I love you."

Tobias draws himself up to his full height and lifts me up so that we're eye to eye. Which means I gained about a foot.

"I love you too," he murmurs. We chatted for a few more minutes, then Holly and I went back to Room 46 to try her fear landscape one more time. She went through it a lot faster this time, and we went through a few more techniques to hide her Divergence. Before we knew it, we were heading down for lunch then back up to the room for more fear landscape practice. And finally, it was 6:00.

Holly groans. "That was the worst day ever." She flops onto Liam, practically choking him as he lets out a groan as well. "I know. But thanks, Four. You were a great instructor."

"You too, Six," Holly forces out, her expression one of exhaustion.

"Don't thank us, you were the ones who did the hard work," I smirk. "But good job today, guys. See you tomorrow."

We leave them tangled and sprawled on top of each other in the practice room, and head out. I hold Tobias' hand and swing it back and forth as we walk, humming to some random song I heard once in Abnegation.

Tobias runs a hand through his hair. It catches the sunlight, glinting and turning almost a bronze kind of color. I smile. He looks so handsome, his dark hair glinting in the sunlight and sticking up so adorably at the back. He frowns, thinking hard about something or the other, and his gets these cute crinkles around his startlingly blue eyes. I raise myself up on my tiptoes and press a small kiss to his cheek, drawing back and smiling as he looks around suddenly, confused, before his eyes come to rest on me.

"Hey," Tobias smiles. I move closer, molding myself into his side as we walk down the sunny glass hallway. He tucks an arm around me, and I beam. He always knows exactly what to do to make me feel safe and secure. "You want to go visit the Dauntless offices now?"

"Hmm? What was that?" Tobias asks, playing absentmindedly with a strand of my hair.

"Dauntless leader offices. You wanna go do that now?"

"Oh yeah!" Tobias claps a hand to his forehead. "I completely forgot. Yeah, lets go."

"Do you know where they are?"

"Um... I think so. No, I'm not completely sure. Lets go to the control room real quick, I just want to check." He squeezes my hand playfully. "You can say hi to Will."

"Will?" I ask. "I feel like I haven't seen him in forever."

Tobias rolls his eyes. "Which, in Tris language, means a day."

I stick my tongue out at Tobias.

He laughs. "Yeah. Real mature."

"More mature than you," I grumble quietly. Thankfully, he doesn't hear, or he'd probably have come up with some kind of blackmail story to refute that point.

We reach the Pit and run up to the second floor to find the control room. Tobias swings open the door cautiously. "Will?"

I look inside, interested. It's huge, for one. Almost as big as the floor of the Pit, filled with desks and computers. A few people sit at one end, looks of intense concentration on their faces as they type furiously. The long end of the room is covered in screens showing black and white video from almost everywhere in Dauntless, it seems. I step in, shocked. "Tobias..."

"Hmm?"

"Where exactly are all of these security cameras located?"

"They're hidden everywhere. It's to track illegal things, or possible fights, rebellions, and in Jeanine's case," he lowers his voice. "The Divergent."

I shake my head in awe. "I... I knew that there were security cameras, but this... I never imagined that there would be this many!" There must be at least 500 tiny screens here, showing everything from a man getting an electric blue dragon tattooed on his arm to a couple kissing in an seemingly abandoned shack. "Wow," I whisper.

"TRIS!" I turn around. "Will!" I give him a quick hug. "Sup Four," Will grins.

"Hey."

"So, what brings you two lovebirds to my hallowed hall of technology today?" Will asks, flourishing his hands exaggeratedly.

Tobias steps in. "Um, do you have the keys to the Dauntless leaders' offices and one of those maps detailing where it is? Oh, and a categorization list of everything in the office."

"And here I was thinking you just wanted to visit me." Will grins and leads us over to a set of gray lockers and opens the one on the far left. He takes out a polished black briefcase. "I think this is all. If you find anything missing, let me know and I'll try and find it for you." He smiles. "That all you guys wanted?"

"Yeah," I beam. "Thanks so much! Say hi to Chris for me, k?"

"Will do. See you two later!"

"Later, dude." Tobias says, and we leave the control room. Tobias opens the briefcase and searches through it. "Lists... Keys... Oh I should take those... aha! Map!"

He pulls it out and checks. "Okay, it's not too far from here. Right off the Pit, actually. Let's go." He offers me his hand, and I take it. We set off in a kind of springy step that makes me feel like we should start singing about Oz or a yellow brick road.

We finally reach the pale gray door after losing our way and ending up in a kids classroom. Tobias wanted to stay but I pulled him out, reminding him that we had to go find the office. The teacher made us stay for a minute though, explaining to the kids that "We were the very very very important leaders of Dauntless!" Then finally, we managed to escape after the kids gave us a standing ovation. Joy.

Tobias takes out the rusty key and tries to jam it into the keyhole. After two or three tries, it goes in and he twists to the right. The keyhole makes an awful grinding noise, so Tobias pulls out the key, afraid of breaking it. But the door is unlocked and it swings open, creaking. I step inside and switch on the light.

"Woah."

* * *

**I know. Short. With a cliffhanger. That's like a double owwie. Sorry! I promise the next one will be better. And I'll give you a little more fluff next time too ;). Anyway, hope you liked it! Please review, and I'll see you next time. Cheers!**

**-DauntlessProdigy4Life**


	31. Peeks Into The Past

**AND WE ARE IN THE THIRTIES.**

**Hey guys! Merry (early) Christmas! If you celebrate it, of course. And I apologize for the ending last chapter, I know it was kind of sucky and wasn't very imaginative. The next two chapters will be over the course of the Dauntless office, things they find, etc. This is technically Part One. So, hope you like it? I'll do my best to update ASAP. Thank you for all the reviews so much!**

**Disclaimer: I am not a recipient of a GoodReads Choice Award. Therefore, I must not be Veronica Roth. I have no claim to Divergent.**

_Previously: Tobias takes out the rusty key and tries to jam it into the keyhole. After two or three tries, it goes in and he twists to the right. The keyhole makes an awful grinding noise, so Tobias pulls out the key, afraid of breaking it. But the door is unlocked and it swings open, creaking. I step inside and switch on the light._

"_Woah."_

I can't believe it. It's... I... I can't describe it. It's just so... Dauntless.

I know. Best description ever, right? But it just... is. I step into the room for a clearer view.

Maps. Diagrams. Racks and racks of guns. The room is rectangular, with one of the "widths" of the rectangle to our immediate right, and the other to the far left. The room is dusty and there are large things scattered here and there covered by bulky white tarps covered in dust. There is a huge map of the entire city covering the wall to my far left, moth-eaten and grimy. I move toward it and brush away some of the dust. I see a bunch of faded red x's, scattered here and there. I attempt to count.

Three scattered around Amity. Two in Abnegation. None in Erudite. One in Candor. And... one in Dauntless.

And at the very bottom, there is a short note in loopy handwriting. _Updated Map of Divergents. One found in Dauntless, will be terminated ASAP. Adam, I'll get back to you with details once I've had a chance to talk with trainers._

I reel back in horror. "Divergents," I whisper, tracing the faded outline of those red X's. "They were being captured even before Max was leader." My eyes move to a piece of paper stapled to the edge of the map. It's a list of all the leaders of Dauntless since the beginning of the factions, and the years that they were leader. I count.

Twenty-one leaders. I find Adam in the scramble of names. Apparently he was leader two decades before Max stepped up. Two decades? They've been hunting Divergents that long? I turn the paper over, and almost drop it. It's a list of Divergents. In big, bold letters, at the top of the paper, I read: _PROVEN DIVERGENTS_. I scan the list. There must be over 50 names listed there. One by one, in neat, careful print.

"Tobias," I whisper.

"Yeah, Tris?" He says, focused on something on the other end of the room.

"They've... they've been hunting Divergents for 2 decades."

"What?" Tobias' head snaps up. makes his way through the jungle of furniture to finally stand next to me. "What do you mean?"

"Exactly that. Look at the map." He scans it, and when he takes a step back, horror evident on his face, I show him the piece of paper with the list of leaders and Divergents. "Adam was a Dauntless leader two decades ago. Well, probably more. How long has Max been leader?"

"Five years," Tobias whispers. "They've been hunting Divergents for twenty-five years. There are like 50 names there, and five x's on the map. Imagine how many Divergents those people killed." His face is white and he shakes his head. "Tris..."

"I know," I whisper. We hold each other and just stay like that for a few minutes, scenarios of death running through our heads. The deaths of those Divergents. Innocents we couldn't save.

Tobias' face hardens. "We've got to stop this," he mutters. "We're leaders now. We've got to... we CAN stop this. I just hope it's not too late."

I stand up. "Tobias. It's not. We can do this, right?" I grab one end of the map and pull as hard as I can. A deafening ripping noise echoes through the room and map lies on the floor. I'm breathing hard with the effort of pulling it down. It's been up there for twenty five years.

Tobias stares at me in shock. "And that, Tris, is why I love you." He gives me a quick peck on the cheek. "We've got three hours to do whatever you want. I'm at your service, milady." He gives me a salute and stands up, grinning. "What do you want me to do?"

I grin, looking around. Three hours. Three hours to get this place fixed and ready for us. A place from where we can run Dauntless, stop the Divergent hunts, and fix everything wrong with our city and the faction systems.

"Let's do this," I grin.

First things first. I set Tobias to pulling all the heavy tarps off of the furniture and piling them at one end of the room, before pulling all the furniture there as well. As he pulls down a stack of desks piled against a part of the wall, his shoulder brushes against a pale blue lever I didn't see earlier. A thunderous groaning noise erupts, and Tobias drops the desks in surprise. Coincidentally, one lands on his big toe.

"OUCH!" He shrieks, clutching his foot. But I'm in no mood to feel sorry for him. "Tobias?" I yell to be heard over the loud groaning noise. "What did you do?"

"I don't know!" He yells back, clutching his ears. "WHAT IS THAT NOISE?"

And suddenly, an entire section of the wall collapse into the ground. And not ONTO the ground, into. It folds up neatly and disappears into a crevice in the floor, sending mounds of furniture crashing to the ground at the same time. It reveals a glass wall in its place that lets us look out into the Pit. We're pretty high up. On the other side of the glass is one of the rock paths that winds around the Pit, letting members climb higher and lower to get to different stores in the Pit. And then the groaning stops.

Dauntless members on the path on the other side of the glass freeze. Turn slowly to face their two leaders who are currently half buried under mounds of papers and low-fat Yoplait yogurt. Apparently there was a fridge somewhere in that mess. Joy.

I flinch. "Um... hi?" Tobias gives them a slight wave.

They raise their hands mechanically to give a wave back, still frozen in shock. Tobias edges over to the lever and pushes it while attempting to hide his face with his other arm. The thunderous groaning noise begins again, and the wall folds neatly back into place, giving no indication that it was ever gone.

I imagine the Dauntless on the other side still standing there, frozen, unsure of what just happened. And I start to laugh.

Tobias cracks a little smile, remembering their expressions. A smile becomes a grin. A grin becomes a laugh. And soon we're rolling on the ground, guffawing and clutching our stomachs. I attempt to talk but I just keep laughing and soon give up.

I sigh. "Priceless."

"I know," Tobias grins. "We should try that again sometime."

We sit in silence for a few moments.

"Well?" I ask. "Back to work?"

"No!" Tobias complains. "I'm the one doing the actual work, you know. You're such a slave-driver."

"I'm working too!"

"Psh, right. Because standing on a table at the other end of the room and giving me commands is totally work."

"I'm... dusting." I say, unconvincingly.

"Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't know!" Tobias says mockingly. "You're a terrible liar, Trissy. Come help."

I pounce onto his lap. "One moment."

I trail a finger softly down Tobias' neck and tangle my other hand into his hair. Tobias clenches his teeth as I slowly, press my lips to a sensitive spot behind his ear. I kiss my way down to a spot just to the left of his lips, which are slightly parted. I can feel his stubble and softly his chin. He moans slightly as I don't touch his lips with mine, but kiss past them down through his throat. His Adam's apple bobs up and down slightly as he swallows. I nip slightly at his skin and kiss my way downward, tracing the tattoos appearing on his shoulder blade when I come into contact with the rough fabric of his shirt. "Tobias," I whisper.

He opens his eyes. "Oh, right." He grasps the bottom hem of his shirt and pulls it over his head in one fluid motion. I kiss my way down the lines traced into his body after three years in Dauntless. His breath becomes more and more ragged as I go lower and lower, and I love that he loves me so much that I still have this effect on him. And then I stop and pull away when I reach his defined lower stomach, my breathing just as ragged and heavy as his is.

Tobias gives a small moan followed by a shaky exhale. "Tris... please..."

My breathing evens out, and I clench my fists to contain the feeling of loss I felt when I pulled away. "I want to Tobias... but we can't. Not here."

"I know," He murmurs "I love you, Tris. So, so much. You're the most important person in the world to me. I love you so much." I tighten my hold on him. "I love you too, Tobias. You know that. I love you. I love you. I could scream it a thousand times and never get tired of saying it. I love you." Tobias takes a deep breath, and I sigh as he pulls his shirt back on. We lie there for a few minutes, curled up together, neither wanting to be the first to let go.

**I hope you liked it! That last bit of fluff in there was just for you. Merry Christmas. :D Remember to leave a review: I read every single one multiple times and love you so much for taking a few seconds out of your day to comment on my work. You don't know how happy and proud it makes me when I hear that people like my story, given that I think I'm younger than a lot of authors here. Anyway, I've got to go. Bye! See you next time!**

**~DauntlessProdigy4Life**


	32. Matthew and Food Fights

**Hey guys! I'm back! Ahh - I wanted to update on Christmas and I'm so sad. I didn't get to. Oh well. This chapter is almost double the size of the last one, so I hope you like it! I love you guys, almost 300 reviews! Mindblown. Thank you.**

**Disclaimer: Don't own Divergent. Never have. Never will.**

"I love you," I whisper.

"I love you too," Tobias murmurs, looking at me with so much love and affection in his eyes that my heart just melts.

I smile. "So?" I whisper. "Do I still have to help clean?"

"Oh, you're not getting out of it that easy, Trissy." Tobias chuckles, smiling affectionately. He presses a soft kiss to my lips and I sigh, the feeling of loss disappearing just as quickly as it appeared. But then he pulls away and it's back just as fast.

I give a little whimper. "Can't we do this later?"

Tobias sits up, grinning. "Um, this was entirely your idea, you know. I'm not going to be the one lying next to you in bed tonight bearing the brunt of you screaming that you should've stayed and finished."

I sit up, too. "Excuse me? I don't scream."

Tobias strokes his chin. "Oh, please forgive me. I know. You yell."

I pull my face into the saddest expression I can muster. "Tobias! You're making me sad!"

He grins. "And we wouldn't want that, would we?"

"Thank you. You're finally appreciating my emotions."

Tobias rolls his eyes. "Sarcasm is totally lost on my Tris."

I turn away, trying to keep a straight face. "I'm going to pretend I didn't hear that."

Tobias sighs, pecking my cheek with a soft kiss. "Okay, you go do that."

"Tobias!" I complain. "Tris!" He imitates my tone. I groan.

"Hey, Tris."

"What?"

"We should probably get this room cleaned up quickly. It's nearing 7 and we should go grab some dinner, maybe chat a little with everyone else and get to bed soon. We have another day of training tomorrow, remember?" Tobias says.

"Yeah..."

"Here. We can finish this. Come on." To accentuate his point, he picks up a desk and grins at me. "All right," I relent. "Let's do this."

As I walk past him, I shoot him a final comment. "Are you going to drop that again?"

"You wish." He grins.

We get all of the furniture and odds and ends moved to the end of the room on the far left of the entrance. Tobias closes off that side of the room with a huge white tarp, effectively dividing the room into two areas. We work quickly and efficiently, our Abnegation experience at doing exactly that coming into play. We take two desks and put them against the wall, adding a laptop to the top of each one. Everything and anything that mentions the word "Divergent", we pin onto the wall; slowly but surely creating a collage of Divergent history.

As we're adding the final touches - putting up a map of Dauntless and pulling in a rack of guns, I hear the sound of a key turning in the door. The door creaks and opens a crack, letting a sliver of sunlight in. I grab a polished black handgun off of the rack and toss it to Tobias, before grabbing one myself. We point our guns at the door simultaneously. "Who is this?" I ask apprehensively.

"Um, hello? Four? Tris?" A voice echoes from the doorway.

"Yes, this is they. Who are you?"

"Wait - how do you know my real name is Tris?" I ask warily.

"I'm Matthew. Matthew James. And Tris, I was here during your initiation. First jumper, first ranked, etcetera. I'll use Six if you don't want me to use Tris. But can I come in?"

Tobias looks at me for confirmation. I nod, but keep my gun pointed at the door. "Yeah!" I yell. "If you have any weapons, drop them in the hallway. This is your only warning."

"I'm unarmed." The door opens and a short, stocky, dark skinned man walks into the room. He looks to be in his late twenties, though I'm not completely sure. He has jet black hair with streaks of red dye, and dark brown eyes. I scan him apprehensively. He's slightly pale but holds his own, looking at us with an assertive expression on his face.

"How'd you get the key to this room?" Tobias asks carefully.

"Me? I've always had one." He says, looking at us as we should know this. "Oh wait, right. You wouldn't know. I have one because since I came to Dauntless, I've always been kind of like an advisor to the leaders, you know what I mean?"

"No." Tobias says.

"Uh, okay." He bites his lip. "In the last ten years or so since my initiation I've been working as a kind of advisor to the current Dauntless leader or leaders. I give them information. I help them do what needs to be done. Etcetera etcetera, so on and so forth, yeah." He trails off, and looks at us expectantly.

Tobias lowers his gun slightly and I mirror his actions. "So, you helped Max?" I ask.

"Not exactly." His expression turns slightly guilty. "Max kind of kicked me out because I disagreed with him about his theories about the Divergent. But - Wait..." He cocks his head. "You two know about the Divergent, right?"

"Yes," I answer. "Keep going. Actually, no. Don't keep going. What theories about the Divergent?"

My pulse quickens as he answers. "Max was helping Jeanine hunt down the Divergent. He held the same belief as her, that the Divergent were ruining our world and needed to be eliminated. There were also plans to drug the Dauntless with a serum and force them to get rid of Abnegation and put Erudite in as the ruling faction, but those plans never actually went into effect. Do either of you know why Max stepped down?" He makes finger quotes as he says "stepped down".

Tobias shakes his head. "This can't be true. None of it can. He told me he stepped down to give Dauntless a fresh start. Because we were Dauntless prodigies and would be perfect leaders."

Matthew rolls his eyes. "Psh, the Max I knew wouldn't willingly step down from a position of power. He had to act like he wanted you to become the leaders, but he was forced into it by Jeanine."

"Why?" I whisper.

"Jeanine was angered that he didn't manage to give her the army that he wanted. He retaliated and said that the Dauntless were their own faction. However, she threatened to let slip that he had been planning to drug the Dauntless and create a mindless faction army for Jeanine's purposes, thus being able to find and kill all the Divergent. She told him to step down and give his position to a new set of leaders, a fresh start to being able to control Dauntless from the sidelines."

"How do we know you're telling the truth?" Tobias says, his hands clenched.

Matthew gives us a half-smile. "Has Jeanine approached you already?"

"Um, yeah." I say. I look at Tobias carefully to gauge his reaction. He remains blank.

Matthew continues. "Has she asked you for help? You know, in any way."

Tobias responds this time. "She asked us to report back to her with data on our initiates - if they are Divergent or not."

"You see?" Matthew says. "She's started trying to manipulate you two. Slowly, but surely."

"Okay," I say. "So we can trust you. Why have you come now?"

"Apparently, you guys went to Will to get the keys to the office?"

"Yeah."

"It's procedural. I put in a request with the control room that when you two finally decided to have a look around here, I would be notified so I could help you eventually sort through all the information on Divergents. There's a lot." He grins. "I was there when a lot of this was drafted, too."

"I guess we don't need Caleb now," I shrug, a slight smile on my face. "So you can help us? Can we trust you?"

"I'm kind of sworn into this position," Matthew grins. "You have a lot to learn. But advisors to the leaders are sworn into their positions and have to follow their leader's or leaders' exact wishes. Anything else can merit execution." He suddenly smiles mischievously. "When Max fired me for disagreeing with him, I don't think he knew he could legally kill me. I know he wanted to because I knew about all the plans, but he didn't want to jeopardize his position as leader. If only he knew. At least I didn't die." Matthew laughs, his expression brightening up.

I let out a sigh. "Whew. You know, I think you and Uriah are going to be great friends."

"Who's Uriah?"

"You'll see," Tobias gives him a half smile.

"Hey," I say. "Do you want to sit with us tonight? You know, to grab some dinner."

"Um, sure." Matthew smiles. "Thank you!"

"You're welcome. Could you look over this so far? We've collected everything we've seen mention Divergents on this wall." I motion to the wall.

Matthew pulls off his jacket and rests it on the gun rack. "Let's see, what've you got?" He muses, muttering now and then to himself. "This is actually fairly good! You've got the lists, the map, etcetera etcetera so on and so forth... yeah. Wow."

"What?" Tobias asks.

"There's a bunch of evidence here of Jeanine being involved with Divergent hunts, right?"

"Yeah," I say.

"Well, what if we just collect more? You see, 95% of our population doesn't know about the existence of Divergents. The remaining 5% - high ranking leaders. Erudite scientists. The Divergents themselves. We could just stay in the background, collecting evidence against Jeanine - evidence that the Divergents don't hurt our society, but rather help it. Evidence that they haven't done anything to hurt it in years. You know, that stuff. And then we can show that Jeanine has been leading Divergent hunts for over two decades, and expose her for the monster that she is - thus completely eroding the idea of Divergents being harmful forever." Matthew stops his long monologue and takes a deep breath, looking eagerly at us. "So?"

I can't speak. I look at Tobias, who is actually speechless for the first time I have seen. I look back at Matthew. "You're like an evil genius."

Matthew grins. "Nah, I would need a long cape and a top hat, a castle surrounded by lava, and have little tiny yellow minions who wear denim jumpsuits and speak gibberish for that."

Now I'm speechless too. "Okay, you are scarily like Uriah. And not in a good way."

Matthew laughs. "I have to meet this Uriah soon. So, it's nearing 8:00 and getting pretty late. Maybe I can meet you guys tomorrow? Here again, but at around 6?"

"Sounds good," Tobias says. "Um, we're gonna go grab some dinner. You want to come?"

"Yeah! Thank you," He grins. We all leave the room, chatting amiably and make our way down to the cafeteria. We walk in and I immediately get a faceful of cake. Wait... I try in vain to lick my nose. Lemon cake, to be exact. Topped with a vanilla buttercream and a whipped strawberry ganache. Mmm. I'm such a cake connoisseur. I lick my nose again. Mmm. Wait a minute. I HAVE CAKE ON MY FACE!

"Ew, ew, ew," I mutter as I push it off my face, cursing myself for being so stupid as to lick it earlier. But it's in vain as I emerge to see soup dripping down my leg. Hot tomato soup. HOT tomato soup. It registers. "Ouch!" I yell, clutching my leg and trying to wipe it off with my sleeve. "Ugh. What is going on?" A half eaten slice of cheese pizza smacks me in the arm.

We just walked into a full blown food fight.

"ATTACK!" I stumble out of the way of a five year old absolutely COVERED in the cake that hit me earlier. He's holding a fistful of it in his hand and pelts a vaguely familiar woman with it, who shrieks. "Jimmy!"

Jimmy pays no heed and picks up another fistful of cake and lobs it at me. It hits me in the face and drips down my neck, spattering me with frosting and filling.

"Oh my god, I'm so sorry, sorry-" The woman says as she recognizes me as 'Six' and tries to pull her little boy away. I grin and stop her. "It's fine, um, Amber?"

A "Yes" tells me that I got it right. I recognize her now. She works with Chris in the Dauntless clothing store. "Are you okay?" She persists.

"I'm fine," I laugh. "Treat me as you would anyone else."

Uh oh. Maybe I shouldn't have said that. An evil grin slowly spreads across her face. "As I would anyone else, huh?" Amber laughs. And then she picks up a handful of noodles and lobs it at me, hitting me in the thigh. "Oh..." I grin. "You shouldn't have done that." And then we're pelting each other with bits of food, and everyone around us, and I'm caught up in the fun and the excitement and the little mini individual food fight battles when I hear a familiar voice.

"Tri-Six!" I turn around. "Chris!" Christina bounces up, for once not caring about her hair and clothes. She's covered in bits of food and ketchup. "Do you know how this started?" I ask.

"Psh, who do you think started it?" She rolls her eyes before continuing. "Uriah. He threw a sandwich at Marlene when she mocked him for using the word pansycake, yelling "IT'S MY WORD! STOP BEING MEAN TO IT YOU'RE HURTING ITS FEELINGS!"

I sigh. "I should've guessed. By the way - Chris - your hair."

"What about it?"

"It's all ketchupy... and mustardy... and hamburgery..."

"Those aren't words."

"I know those aren't words! I'm allowed to create new words, okay? I'm a Dauntless leader! From now on, ketchupy, mustardy, and hamburgery are words. Wait, what am I saying? ANYWAY, you know what I mean."

Christina grins. "Eh - Zeke poured his lemonade on it and then Marlene threw her hamburger at me. I was mad at them then but eh... I'm going to have to fix my hair anyway. It doesn't matter if I make it more dirty."

I give her an evil grin. "So it doesn't matter if I do this?" I grab a nearby bottle of ketchup and turn it upside down over her head, drizzling thick scarlet liquid all over her hair. Christina squeals, grabbing the bottle of mustard and squirting it at me. "You're gonna pay, Tris!" She screams, mercilessly throwing cake and squirting mustard all over my shirt. And at that perfect moment, my bottle of ketchup runs out.

"I'M GONNA GET YOU!" Christina yells and I turn and sprint away as quickly as I can, dodging food, tables, and people, when I smack into something solid. "Ow!"

"Tris?"

"Tobias!"

"Four?" Christina appears, grinning. "Hey, Four! Do you mind if I shoot you with mustard?"

"Chris!" I scold her. "Just do it! You don't ask in a food fight. You just pelt the person with cake and mustard until they beg for mercy."

"I don't think Four's gonna beg for mercy," She mutters under her breath, but starts squirting again happily. I see a teenager running past holding another bottle of ketchup and quickly stop her. "Hey, sorry, I need this." I grab it and run away, pausing to yell back "THANKS!". I'm almost positive I hear a confused "You're welcome?" behind me.

I squirt at Tobias, who shrinks back under the double onslaught. "Ahh! This isn't fair! Two against one!" He yells. I grab a fistful of cake and position myself carefully. _Just like throwing a knife_. I release the cake and watch it fly straight into Tobias' mouth, effectively muffling him. "Gotcha!" I say, grinning happily.

"Mmmpfasdkmdf!" Tobias makes an unintelligible sound. I lean forward. "I'm sorry, what was that?" I ask innocently.

Tobias spits out the cake and picks up a handful of noodles. "You are so dead!" I squeal as the noodles hit my neck and spill down my shirt. "Tobias!" I complain. "You got it in my shirt!"

"Oops," He grins, while flinging the remaining noodles at my collar. They slip under my shirt once again. "TOBIAS!"

Tobias gropes the floor around him and realizes that there's no food around him, and that he's cornered against the wall with two very angry girls about to bombard him with food.

"Please?" He asks, trying to act timid.

"Are you kidding?" I roll my eyes. And five seconds later, Tobias is covered in cake and mustard.

"Woo-hoo!" Chris high-fives me. I laugh. "Brilliant."

Tobias spits out a piece of cake. "Not brilliant," he says, pouting.

Chris smiles. "I'm dying to go find Uriah. After all, he was the one who started this and made my hair get all disgusting. Come with?"

"Obvi! Bye To- Four. Ta-ta!" I wave at Tobias who, as a parting gift, throws a muffin at me. "I don't like you," He says sadly. "Um, have you forgotten? I'm your fiancee! You don't like me, you love me!" I beam. Tobias' face lights up and he motions me closer. He whispers, "Fiancee. I still can't get used to hearing it."

"I love you, Tobias." I smile happily.

"I love you, Tris." Then, he seems to rethink it. "Except during food fights. I think I love you a teensy bit less then."

"Excuse me?" My mouth drops open. "Even during food fights, I am a very lovable person."

"Yeah, right." Tobias grins.

"Tris!" Christina calls. "We have to go ambush Uri!"

Tobias gets up. "I'll come with you guys," He grins.

Christina smiles evilly. "Four too? Four, you have killer aim. Uri won't know what him."

Thirty minutes later, the food fight seems to be winding down. After an incident involving Uriah, whipped cream, and a whole lot of pumpkin pie, everyone was pretty much done for the day. Tobias and I link hands and walk to the kitchens to see if there's any actual food left.

I see a young woman in a simple black dress leaning against the counter. "Hey, is there any food left?" I ask.

"Not much," she says. "But there are some bowls of chicken noodle soup back there."

"Thanks."

Tobias and I each take a few bowls and walk back to the cafeteria, attempting to balance several at once. As we stumble back into the cafeteria, I see Christina, Uriah, Will, and everyone else apparently looking for us. "There they are!" Christina cries as we walk towards them.

"WE BRING FOOD!" Tobias yells, grinning. I spot Matthew off to the side and call him over. "Matthew!" He turns and spots me, says something to his friends and walks toward me. "Hey, Six." He grins. I smile. "It's fine. You can call me Tris."

"Really? Thanks."

As I finish distributing the soup, I turn to everyone. "Guys, this is Matthew. Matthew, this is Christina, Will, Zeke, Shauna, Marlene, Lynn and Uriah."

"Uriah!" Matthew grins. "I've been looking forward to meeting you."

"You know my name!" Uriah beams. "I'm famous!"

"Psh, no. We met Matthew earlier today while doing leader duties, and he had this idea. We called him an evil genius, and he said if he was an evil genius, he would need 'a long cape and a top hat, a castle surrounded by lava, and have little tiny yellow minions who wear denim jumpsuits and speak gibberish'." I laugh.

Uriah stares at him open-mouthed. "Best comeback ever, my friend!" He claps Matthew on the back. "I can tell we'll get along just fine."

Christina bounces up. "Hi! I'm Christina. You should call me Chris. Or else. You don't want to find out what."

"Okay," Matthew grins.

Chris smiles. "I think I'll call you Mat. Hi Mat!"

"Um, hey?"

Across from him, Will facepalms. "Hasn't known the guy five minutes and she's already giving him nicknames," he mutters. Chris turns around. "Hey!"

We sip our soup, laughing and chattering happily. As the clock strikes 10, I yawn. "Hey Four," I say, making sure to use his other name. "Can we head up now? I'm kinda tired."

Tobias smiles. "Sure, Trissy."

Uriah pouts. "HE can call you Trissy?"

"HE is my fiancee who I can trust. You are my annoying friend who would yell Trissy in front of the whole compound if I let you say it."

"I wouldn't - okay, I probably would."

"See?" I grin. "I'm smart. Unlike SOMEONE here." I cough, slipping in "Uriah" in between my coughs.

"Tris. We'd better go." Tobias says.

"All right. Bye, guys!"

Matthew smiles. "Okay, everyone say 'Bye Tris and Four' on three. ONE! TWO! THREE!" His lone voice and Uriah's echo in the room as they say: "BYE TRIS AND FOUR!", then together "HEY! You guys were supposed to say it with us!"

I smile. "You and Uriah are really so alike. All right, bye!"

A chorus of bye's meet my ears. Smiling, Tobias and I leave the cafeteria.

That night in bed, I cuddle up to Tobias. "Hey, Toby?"

"Yeah?"

"Do you think we can trust Mat?"

Tobias considers his reply. "Mat seems like a nice guy. I think he'll be awesome in helping us through this navigation of leadership and laws. Remember, we don't know anything about this. I think we can trust him."

I smile. "Yeah. Me too." I turn over with a sigh. "Good night, Tobias. I love you."

"I love you too."

**THANK YOU FOR READING! Remember to review, and I'll see you next time! I love you guys. Thank you for everything.**

**~DauntlessProdigy4Life**


	33. Clothes and Divas

**What's up guys? OVER 300 REVIEWS! MINDBLOWN. Oh my god, thank you, thank you, thank you so much. I am so freaking happy. Shoutout to RandomReader for her amazing, optimistic 300TH REVIEW! It made my day, thank you. I want to answer a few more reviews. To EatonDauntlessCake4610 - I made you crack up :D Yay? Haha thank you, I'm glad. Unless you're an egg. Then rest in peace. Thank you for the review! To GottaLoveThatTris - aww, I'm so touched. Thank you so much.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Divergent. I do own a copy of FOUR by One Direction! Ooh, and a copy of 1989 by Taylor Swift. But it's not the same. Almost, but not the same.**

A few rays of sunlight wink across my face. I moan sleepily, my mind blissfully empty, and yawn. A bird or two chirps happily in the early morning dawn. "Shh," I whisper absentmindedly, waving a hand in the air. "I'm sleeping. Shhh."

A laugh echoes in the air and I groan. "SHH!"

"Only you, Tris, would try to shush the birds."

I wave my hand in the air, eyes still tightly closed. "No. No. Out. Now." Has my arm really been up in the air for five whole seconds? It's starting to hurt and I let it drop to the bed. "Ahh..." I snuggle into the blanket.

"Tris! Time to get up!"

"Mmm."

"Fine. You're so ungrateful. Bye."

"Bye-bye," I murmur happily. It's back to the peaceful silence. Perfect.

A bird chirps.

"UGH!"

I hear water running. Tobias starts humming in the bathroom, probably shaving or something. I grope around blindly for my phone and finally hit something. And then that same something slides off of the nightstand.

"Shoot."

I scramble out of the sheets in a panic. _MY PHONE! _"Phew." It sits there innocently. Not a scratch. _Thank you, dual power unbreakable case._

"Tris?" Tobias calls from the bathroom. "You dropped your phone again?"

"Um, no!" I call back. "No, I didn't. Nope. Nope." Tobias makes a disbelieving noise. "Pfft."

I yawn, cuddling back into the sheets. My phone shows 5:30. "Tobias!" I complain. "It's 5 freaking 30!"

"I know."

That draws me back a little. "Um, it's 5:30." I say again, trying for a little more emphasis.

"Yeah, I know, Tris."

"5: 30!" I say again.

"Trissy, what's your point?"

I give up. "Why did you wake me up this early?"

"Just cause."

"Tobias!"

"Well, now you can spend time with me!" He says, grinning.

I stretch, letting out another long yawn. Tobias watches me with a little amusement.

"You done yet?"

"Huh?" Comes my not-so-intelligent response.

"With your morning ritual."

"What ritual?" I answer sleepily.

Tobias has a full blown grin on his face now. "I wake you up. You act all Grumpy the dwarf. Then I try to make you stay awake. You get back into bed. Then I wake you up again. You yell at me for waking you up again. And you pretend to be getting up slowlyyy by stretching and stuff. And then I push you out of bed."

I mull this over. And then: "Grumpy's not a dwarf."

"That's all you got out of that?" He rolls his eyes. "I'll meet you down at the breakfast hall in ten minutes. No wait, scratch that, I'll wait for you." His tone takes on a worried tone as he looks at me with an expression I can't quite identify. It makes me remember when I was attacked. He looked at me with the same expression, only much wilder. Wait, that must be why he's staying. He... wants to protect me.

The thought is still slightly foreign, even after being exposed to it since I've arrived at Dauntless. Someone cares about _me_. Someone wants to protect _me_. Not others, me. Just yours truly.

"Thank you," I smile, looking at Tobias with love. "I'll only take a few minutes."

He suddenly breaks into a coughing fit. Between his coughs, I think I hear "Yeah, right". I ignore it. Whatever. I must have heard wrong.

I pick up a fluffy red towel and go take a shower. I revel in the warmth seeping through me as the water runs over my body, sending clouds of hot steam into the air. I'm in my own little world of soap and bubbles and heat, when I hear Tobias banging at the door. "Hurry up!"

I don't deign to answer the call and instead walk out of the shower, dripping wet, and wind the towel around my body.

And then I realize that I didn't bring in any clothes. "Tobias!" I yell. "Clothes!"

"You want clothes?"

"Ya think?"

"Okay."

I can hear him rifling through the closet, humming happily in the background. "A-ha!"

He tosses something into the bathroom. "Thank you!" I call, without looking at the clothes.

I hear a snort from outside. Whatever. I ignore it and pick up the clothes.

Oh, shoot.

"TOBIAS!"

I might as well parade around outside naked. Walking outside in nothing like "Hey, guys! Like my outfit?"

Okay, fine. It's not that bad. But it's still too short and shows too much skin for my liking. I bet Christina bought this for me.

He gave me a short black skirt with a rippled edge that stops well above mid-thigh. It has a lace covering and is almost completely see through. God, it's almost like underwear. The top is a strapless red crop top that stops at least three inches above my stomach. This is definitely much more see through than the skirt. Please, no.

I hear chokes of laughter outside. "Look, Tris! It still has the price tag on it!"

"Tobias, you are dead."

"Um, I'm alive right now. At least I think I am."

"TOBIAS!"

"Tris, just relax. I'm sorry, okay? I'm a nineteen year old guy. You can come out. I won't laugh."

I sigh, but slip on the clothes and walk out, crossing my arms over my chest.

"Tri... um, whoa." Tobias casts his eyes down after sneaking a glance up.

"I know," I groan. "Let me change." I walk toward the closet, but Tobias blocks the way. "Tobias!"

"Tris..."

"I know, I'm ugly, okay? No need to rub it in. Let me change."

"Tris, you're... you're beautiful."

"Wait, what?"

"You look perfect. You're so beautiful."

"Tobias, it's all right. You don't need to make me feel better."

"I cross my heart and hope to die." He says, with a serious expression on his face. "I swear. Tris... you're absolutely gorgeous and stunning and beautiful and you take my breath away every time I see you." He captures my lips in a kiss. "Thank you," I whisper into his chest when he lets go.

"No. Thank you." He hugs me. "So? Are you gonna wear that?"

"Um, nope."

"Fine." He groans playfully. I cross by him to the dresser and pull out a comfortable pair of black leggings. I exchange them for my skirt and sigh. "Much better." Then I pull off my shirt. As I search through the closet for a good shirt to wear, I look back to see Tobias openly staring at me. I resist the urge to cover myself and instead, grin. "Like the view?"

"It's a good view," He mumbles. Then, he collects himself and realizes what he just said. "Shoot."

I laugh and consider him for a second. Then I grab the red crop top he tossed to me and pull it back on.

"Tris?"

"All right. I'll wear it."

"Wait, you will?"

"But only under a jacket or something."

I ignore his wide grin and sift through my closet. Finally, I find a comfortable black peacoat and pull it on, fastening the buttons happily.

Tobias smiles. "Breakfast?"

"One second!"

I dash into the bathroom and apply some lip balm. I grab the eyeliner and apply it as fast as I can without messing up. A thin line... add a wing... perfect! I add mascara and grab a pair of fur lined leather gloves before we leave. It's early December and getting cold.

"Let's go!" Tobias says happily.

We eat breakfast with everyone else, Tobias and I stealing little glances at each other when we can. At 7:50, we exit the breakfast hall and walk to the training room. At exactly 8:02, when all the initiates have arrived, I begin.

"Because final testing, or stage three is in two days, we've compiled your rankings one more time. I'm sure you all know that usually, only 10-11 initiates make it into Dauntless. A few Dauntless born have been cut. There are now 15 total initiates. There are the seven of you, and then eight Dauntless born."

I have to tell them four will be cut. But as I look at them, slightly fearful at the mention of that news, I can't. I... I just can't.

"There's been a rule change." My voice, slightly unsteady, pipes up. I can feel Tobias' eyes trained on me, speculating where I'm going with this. I sigh. I want to back down, but I can't anymore. Okay, here goes nothing.

"You will only be cut if you can't get your time in the simulations under 20 minutes. Otherwise, any number of initiates may make it into Dauntless. Your times for going through one fear have ranged from 2 minutes, to 15." I avoid making eye contact with Alex as I say this. I can only imagine his inward reaction.

"However," I say in a chirpier tone. "Your times for one fear definitely decreased after that, which was why we made the decision to start familiarizing you with your entire fear landscape. You've gone through it a few times now. Here are the current rankings." The electronic board quivers slightly and then neon blue words appear on the screen.

_Liam: 6:52_

_Holly: 6:59_

"OH, IT'S ON!"

Liam quickly shushes Holly, grinning happily. "Sorry," he murmurs.

_Claire: 14:32_

_Bryan: 15:17_

_David: 17:22_

_Britney: 21:54_

_Alex: 34:19_

I avert my eyes from the scoreboard. "Please meet with your trainers. Dismissed."

Tobias grabs my arm and leads me over to the corner. "I know we were going to do rankings today, but what was that all about?"

"I'm sorry," I groan. "I just couldn't." I sigh. "Do you think it's a bad idea?"

"I think it's actually pretty good," Tobias responds. "But two of our initiates will be cut if we don't do anything."

"Who was paired with Alex?" I ask. "Zeke?"

"No, he was with Bryan." We rack our brains. "Wait, Uriah!" Tobias says. "But why?"

"Could you work with Alex today? I think you could help him tremendously."

Tobias considers it. "I guess... Liam could work with Uriah."

"Can Liam," I lower my voice. "hide his Divergence in front of Uriah?"

"I think so. I showed him how, and he did it yesterday. He should be able to do it today."

"Okay. Liam!" I call.

He and Holly walk over, hand in hand. "Yeah, Six?"

"You're going to be working with Uriah today."

His face takes on a troubled note. "Um, did Four..."

"He said he believed you could hide it. Meet Uriah in room 34C - explain to him for me, okay?"

"Okay. I'll see you later, Holls." He gives Holly a slight peck on the lips and skips away.

Holly smiles happily. "You guys a couple?" I ask, grinning.

"Yeah," she smiles. "Aww, congratulations!" I beam, hugging her. "Oh god, I sound like Christina."

Holly laughs. "Yeah, Tris, you kinda do."

Tobias taps my shoulder. "Can you go tell Alex?"

"Sure."

I walk over to where he stands, still staring at the scoreboard.

"Alex."

He turns. "Hey, Six." He looks so much like Al in that moment, weatherbeaten and tired, that I blurt out. "Have you been having suicidal thoughts lately?"

A shadow passes across his face. "What makes you think that?"

"Nothing," I say quickly. He furrows his brows but says nothing.

"So, I've paired you with Four today." He looks up quickly. "Why?"

"I think he can help you improve drastically."

Alex rolls his eyes. "I'm last by a margin of like thirteen minutes. No one can help. I'll be factionless."

"He can help. The question is, do you want him to?"

After a few moments, he responds. "Yes. Definitely."

I grin. "Great. Tell Uriah for me then meet Four in room 37B." I walk away, planning to go get Holly and work on her simulation time some more, but then I see Britney out of the corner of my eye. She runs a hand through her blonde hair, her expression depressed. For once, she's silent as she stands next to Marlene, who's talking animatedly to Zeke.

"Britney!" I call. She turns, and forces her expression hastily back into one of disgust. She marches over to me. "What?"

"I..." I bite my lip. Okay. "Do you want help?"

"In what?" She answers stiffly.

"With pulling down your time. You're over the 20 minute limit, you know."

"Why would I want your help?"

I'm at a loss this time. "Because... you'd be factionless otherwise."

Britney shakes her head mockingly. "You don't get it, do you? You've made my life hell since I got here-"

"_I _have?" I ask, getting slightly angry now.

"Yes. You..." She seems at a loss at what to say and settles for changing the topic. "Your boyfriend is sweet, handsome, and strong. He's my dream boy and you don't even let me get to know him!"

I run a hand through my hair, frustrated. "Britney, that's his own choice! Four doesn't want to be friends with you. He tolerates you as an initiate, because he's your instructor. I-"

"I WANT HIM TO CARE ABOUT _ME_!" She yells, finally snapping. "You're nothing special. I'm much more pretty than YOU'll ever be! I... I don't understand WHY HE DOESN'T WANT ME! I HATE DAUNTLESS! I WANT TO GO BACK TO ERUDITE!"

Her last sentence rings in a sudden silence as everyone turns to stare at her, horrified.

**Thanks guys! I hope you liked it! I had a bunch more written but decided to cut it off here, as this is an okay stopping point. The chapter was going to become too long - I don't want a story of average chapters then one super long chapter. So I've broken it into two. I hope you liked it. Please review, feedback is always welcome. I'll see you next time!**

**~DauntlessProdigy4Life**


	34. Tantrums and Talks

**I'm back! By the way: I've made a bunch of edits in the first few chapters: namely the first and second. If you've read them before, try and find where I've changed it! They're mostly minor changes, but let's see if you can find them ;) Hope you like the chapter!**

**Disclaimer: Still don't own it. Nope. Zilch. Nada. Zamboni. (Any of you seen that AT&amp;T commercial?) :D**

* * *

"You want to go back to Erudite?" I ask slowly, enunciating every syllable. I'm trying to figure out what to do next. Tobias is gone with Alex to work on his fear simulation. I know it's a good thing, because he'd have been on Britney in seconds when she started yelling at me. But I can't help but wish for him to be beside me - just for encouragement. Maybe to squeeze my hand, or offer a loving smile. But I'm on my own.

Britney's breathing slows and she processes what she just said. But she can't back down now. "Um, yeah. I, um, do."

I look at her calmly for a few seconds. "Come with me." I look at Holly. "Mind waiting for a minute?"

Holly smiles. "Nope." She sidles over to Claire.

I walk out of the room, aware that all eyes are on me. Britney follows. Once we leave, the room explodes into whispers.

"Where're we going?"

"Nowhere yet."

I stop once we're out of hearing range of the training room. "Erudite or factionless?"

"What?"

"Would you like to go to Erudite and confer with someone? Jeanine Matthews, to be exact. You will face the risk of her making you factionless. Or, you could just become factionless now."

"I want to talk to Jeanine," she says bravely. I can see little flickers of doubt and worry making their way across her face.

"Okay." I say. "Follow me."

We make our way through the maze of corridors and finally arrive on the second floor, at the entrance to the control room. I remembered Matthew mentioning he helped out here when he wasn't acting as advisor.

I step inside. Everyone stops typing and looks up from their computer. The silence is almost deafening. "Matthew?"

"Yeah?" Matthew stands up, whipping his dark hair to one side. "Hey Six."

"Can I talk to you?" I ask, smiling slightly. "Hey, Will."

"Hey Tri... uh, Six." Will grins at me.

I smile back. "Hey. I need Mat for a moment, can I talk to him?"

"Sure." He confirms. "He's more or less finished for the day anyway. See you guys later."

We exit the room. I turn to Matthew. "Finished for the day? It's only morning." I smile slightly.

He grins. "I work fast."

I take a deep breath. "Okay. Matthew: I kinda need you to do me a favor."

"Sure."

"Could you take Britney to Erudite?"

"Why?"

"She wanted to go back to Erudite. I gave her a choice of becoming factionless or talking to Jeanine, and risk Jeanine making her factionless herself."

"Yeah, I can take her to Jeanine. They might not let us see her, though."

"Oh, I'll give you guys a note or something." I pull open the door to the control room. "Will? You got any paper?"

"Yeah, right there by the door."

"Thanks."

I grab a sheet of paper and a purple sharpie. Quickly, I pen out a quick note to Jeanine and add my signature, to confirm the authenticity. I keep it vague, saying the one of my initiates wanted to defect back to Erudite and I gave them a choice. They wanted to talk to you. Personally. Your choice what you want to do with her. Regards, Six: Dauntless Leader.

I hand it to Matthew. "Great. So can you take her?"

"Yeah, sure. Anything else?"

"N-um, one thing. You remember what we were talking about? Yesterday?"

"Which part?"

I lower my voice. "Jeanine. Evidence."

"Oh, right."

"Can you possibly find someone to do all the dirty work? Do you know anyone from Erudite that might be willing? Someone close to Jeanine. Someone who knows things about her. For blackmail purposes... or maybe just evidence against Jeanine we can use in our case. You think you know anyone?"

Matthew frowns. "I'm not sure. I can dig around though: see what we come up with."

"Great. Thanks." I smile. "Britney!"

"Yeah?"

"This is Matthew. He's taking you to Erudite for your meeting with Jeanine."

"Wait, really? Oh, um..." She bites her lip. "Yeah. Sure. Ok."

"Bye Mat." I give him a smile. "Good luck."

"See you, Six."

I walk away and pull out my phone to send a text to Tobias.

_Tris: Brit threw a tantrum. Wanted to go back to Erudite. Mat's taking her to visit J. BTW, he's gonna try and find someone who has evidence on J. We're meeting him after training today. Hopefully he'll have info. Anyway, love you. See you soon._

I pocket my phone and walk back to the training room. It buzzes in my pocket a minute later, as I'm a few feet away from the door.

_Tobias: K. _

I sigh, and text back.

_Tris: I sent u such a long text and all u say is K?_

It vibrates a few seconds later.

_Tobias: K._

_He did not just do that._ But he sends another text a few seconds later.

_Tobias: JK! JK! I didn't mean it. Srsly. Love you too, Trissy._

Satisfied, I pocket my phone and scan the room for Holly. She's still standing there with Claire and Christina, who have been waiting for her. "Holly!" I call. She looks over. "I'm back."

"Great," she smiles. I grin warmly at Chris and Claire. "Thanks, guys."

"You're welcome," Christina smiles. As she and Claire leave the room, she nudges me conspiratorially. "You wore the shirt," she snickers. Huh? I look down at my shirt, half exposed because the top few buttons of my peacoat fell open. And the events of this morning come rushing back to me.

"Christina!" I cry out, hastily buttoning my peacoat. She smirks. "Proof of my fashion influence on you, huh?"

"I didn't choose it," I glare at her harshly, before the intensity of my stare falters slightly. _Oops. Shouldn't have said that._

"Did Four?" Is her parting strike. She leaves the room, and I can hear her openly laughing her head off in the hallway. I'm cursing Tobias in my head right now.

I turn to Holly. "Let's go. You okay?"

Holly grins. "Never better. I'm ready to own this thing."

I smile. "Let's do this!"

~8 hours later~

It's six o' clock, and we're all gathered in the Pit, chatting lightly with loud music playing in the background. Holly is amazing. She's blowing through the simulations like lightning, while hiding her Divergence. She's still slightly weak on the fear of killing loved ones, which I can understand: seeing as I have that fear myself. But she'll definitely make it under 20 minutes. I smile at Tobias lovingly. It worked. He did it. He actually did it.

"Great job, Alex!" I ruffle his hair, grinning. He smiles happily, a look of elation plastered on his face. He did it. His time is 17 minutes and well under the 20 minute limit. He did it. I smile at Tobias lovingly. It worked. He did it. He actually did it. "You'll be awesome at the final simulations tomorrow. You'll be Dauntless."

"Thanks," Alex grins. "I... I did it." He turns to me. "Six... I'm... I'm sorry for insinuating that you couldn't help this morning. I was resigned to become factionless... I thought I couldn't do it. I'm sorry for saying that."

"It's fine. It's all good now."

"Four! Six!" I turn and see Matthew waving at us.

Britney's back. Her eyes have a reddish tinge and they're puffy, as if she's been crying. She turns and makes her way into the crowd, disappearing after a few seconds.

"Sup, Mat." I grin at him. Tobias nods. "Hey."

"Can we take this conversation somewhere a little more private?" Matthew asks hesitantly. I suddenly remember what I asked him this morning. "Sure."

We go to my apartment. Finally, we're all settled in various chairs and couches. It's safe here. I'm a leader, so there aren't any security cameras in my room. "Go ahead."

"First of all, Jeanine was kinda pissed at Britney. Jeanine didn't want any attention drawn to Erudite - apparently they're working on some huge secret project. I think it may be uncovering the Divergents." As Mat says this, Tobias lets out a long breath, clenching his fists. "But anyway, 'cause of her Erudite lineage, Jeanine let Britney visit her parents for a few minutes, and then Britney was shipped back to Dauntless." He runs a hand through his hair.

I nod, thinking of how Britney looked like she'd been crying slightly. "Anything else?"

Matthew sighs. "I'm a little scared to see how you'll react to this." He confesses, biting his lip. "So I found a few friends I've known from a few years ago in the Erudite compound. They let me into the records. I did a little research on Jeanine's background: you know. Friends, test scores, etcetera. I found one Andrew Prior." I stiffen. _Dad..._

Matthew looks directly at me. "Is he of any relation to you?"

"He was-is my dad." I correct myself almost instantly.

Matthew kneads his hands together. "Would you be okay with me interrogating with him?"

I bite my lip. "Interrogating?" I'm slightly suspicious. Matthew scrambles to appease me. "Just questioning him about Jeanine. Apparently... they were really good friends when they were younger. Did he ever tell you he transferred to Erudite?"

My mind flashes to when I visited Abnegation. _Yes._

"Yes."

"They were apparently the best of friends. Practically inseparable till he transferred. Would you give me permission to ask him a few questions? With his consent, of course."

I look down. "Can I come with you when you question him?"

"Of course."

"Then yes. But there has to be limits."

"I know." Matthew smiles. "How're the initiates going? Initiation ends tomorrow. Do you think anyone will be cut?"

I look up instantly at the word, _cut_. Oh, shoot.

Tobias looks on, amused. "Trissy, what're you gonna tell him?"

I clap a hand to my forehead. "Mat, please don't be mad."

Matthew looks slightly suspicious. "What'd you do?"

"Uh..."

"Tris, just get to the point," Tobias says, enjoying himself completely.

"I, um, kind of, eliminated the system where initiates get cut."

"WHAT?"

Shoot. I don't think he's happy. But I have to keep going.

"I, um, told the initiates that that system had been eliminated and replaced with a new one, where you are accepted into Dauntless if you get a simulation time under 20 minutes."

I'm babbling now. "I'm sorry, it just seemed like a good idea at the time. It was just the heat of the moment, you know? I couldn't tell them; I couldn't do that to them. They-"

"It's a good idea."

"What?"

Matthew grins. "You know what I said."

"But... what do you mean?"

"Every year, there will be kids who are brave and courageous left out because they didn't make the top ten. This is absolutely brilliant. I love it." He gives me a friendly smile.

Tobias squeezes my hand lovingly. "That's my Tris."

We all chat for a little while longer, before Matthew leaves. "See you tomorrow," Matthew smiles.

"But we're leaders, right? The REAL work starts the day after tomorrow. When initiation is finally over." Tobias says in mock sadness.

I groan. "You didn't have to remind me."

Mat grins. "You have no idea. Bye!" He leaves, grinning at Tobias.

The door closes, and I clap a hand to my forehead. "TOBIAS!"

"Hmm?"

"WE DIDN'T HAVE ANY FOOD!"

"Yup."

"I WANT FOOD!" I bounce into the kitchen, and Tobias follows behind wearily. "So much energy when it comes to food," he groans.

I point a spatula at him. "Eating is my hobby. Don't mock my hobbies."

I find a bag of Skittles and toss it into a hot skillet and add orange juice and cheese. It looks like it would taste good together. But the whole thing melts into a sticky mess that gives off an acrid burnt smell. "Ew," I sigh, tossing the sticky gray mixture into the trash can. "Looks like we're going hungry tonight."

Tobias rolls his eyes. "You're such an amateur."

I look at him defensively. "I can cook when it's been partially prepared before! Like in Abnegation. All I had to was defrost the chicken and the peas and occasionally cut some vegetables. It was easy."

Tobias sighs. "Trissy. Let me cook."

I pause him first. "Sure you're not going to burn Dauntless down?"

"I'm sure. Let me cook, Trissy."

"Fine."

20 minutes later, a delicious aroma wafts into the bedroom. I run into the kitchen and see two plates of chicken Caesar salad, with some kind of vinaigrette drizzled over it and two bowls of hot tomato soup sitting on the side. "Mmm," I sigh, inhaling the warm scent. "Lovely."

We devour the food quickly, our hungry stomachs not wanting to wait. As I finish the last bite of my salad, I sigh and lean back. "Toby, you CAN cook!"

He puts a hand to his chest. "I know. Thank you, thank you. No autographs, please."

I look at him. "That's my line."

"Now it's mine." He gives me a cheesy grin and plants a sloppy kiss on my cheek. "Can we go to sleep now? Tomorrow's a big day and we're obligated to stay up all night tomorrow night, you know."

I sigh. "Do we have to?"

"Trissy."

"Fine."

I pile the dirty dishes into the dishwasher and set it running, before grabbing one of Tobias' shirts out of his closet and changing into that. I brush my teeth quickly and wash off my makeup carefully.

"Tris!"

"Comin!" I call. I switch off the lights and jump into bed, landing on something hard.

"Oof!"

"Sorry," I laugh, rolling off him and snuggling into the blanket. He gives a snort. "Ahh." The bed's nice and heated. I roll over to Tobias, snuggling into his warm body. And I was utterly unprepared for him to start screeching like a little girl and pushing me away violently.

"HEY!"

"Tris, you're so FREEZING!"

I sigh. "Meanie." I reach over and plant a kiss on his cheek. "I'm tired. Good night, Tobias."

"Good night, Tris. I love you."

"I love you too." And we drop off to sleep, warm, cozy, and together.

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**I love you guys too ;) So thanks for reading! Remember to review, and I'll see you next time!**

**~DauntlessProdigy4Life**


	35. Roses Aren't Always Red

**Hey, guys! I'm back! And it's back. ;) Haha, you'll understand with the first sentence of this chapter. So, anyway, I'd like to apologize in advance for any mistakes in this chapter. I'm not an expert on the Victorian Flower Language and I'm certainly not an expert in Spanish, French, German and Portuguese, so sorry for any misspellings or wrong info. Anyway, I hope you like it. :D **

**Disclaimer: Still don't own it. I do own a piece of cake I was eating while typing this chapter earlier. It was a white cake with a whole lot of vanilla icing. Mmm. Okay, I digress. You can read now.**

It's back. The sun's back. And it means it's morning and I have to get up. Joy.

I moan, pressing my eyes tightly together. Beams of sunlight fall here and there on my face, illuminating it brightly as more rays hesitantly flutter into the room as the sun rises. I groan, shift onto my side, and attempt to get back to sleep. But it's no use. I'm awake now. And something feels strangely uncomfortable.

I open my eyes slowly, inwardly sighing. Ugh. So much effort.

_WHERE'D THE PILLOW GO?_

And then I'm instantly alert and sit up, scared but alert. I don't want to take the chance that someone broke in. I scan the apartment carefully, slightly fearful.

Wait. This feels wrong.

I stop scanning the room and turn back slowly to look at my feet. They're resting innocently on a mound of fluffy black pillows. And then, almost robotically, I turn my head to see the black wooden footboard just inches away.

I'm upside down. On the bed. Yay for me.

Inwardly cheering that Tobias isn't here to see this, I slowly turn back around so that my head is once again against the pillows and sit up tiredly, before grabbing my phone. I don't think Tobias left a note or anything, so I'll send him a text.

_T: morning Toby :D btw where are u?_

After staring at my phone for two minutes, just waiting for his reply, I give up and get out of bed, walking sluggishly to the kitchen. My eyes are bleary and everything is blurry - completely unfocused. As I drift into the kitchen, I can make out a vague shape on the counter. It's red and white. I blink a few times, rubbing my eyes to clear them up.

Roses.

The edges of my lips curve up into a smile as I walk toward the counter. The roses are beautiful - pristine and perfect, as if they've been untouched by human hands. Each rose looks as if it's been frozen in time, glistening and beautiful - not even quivering. The scarlet rose, opening its deep red petals into the sunlight - dashing and glamorous. The pearly white rose - not a blemish on a single one of its ivory petals - soft and pure and elegant. And none of the roses have a single thorn on them. Not one. Among the arrangement, I spot one pale lavender rose, and then one brilliant yellow, almost pure gold one. They're all in a lovely crystal vase with an intricate design winding around the vase. Simply stunning. My eyes move almost automatically to the little white card sitting among the rose petals.

_My precious Tris:_

_ Happy anniversary, love. I asked you to be my girlfriend exactly a year ago today, do you remember? And it's been a whole year. I can't believe it. A whole year. One magical, glorious year. We've been through so much together. When I finally put that ring on your finger, I (after I wasn't in shock that you said yes anymore) simply couldn't believe it. I love you so much, Tris. I will never get tired of saying it. You're my angel, mon amour, mi corazon, meine liebe, amore mio, and meu amor. I could say it in every language and I would mean it every single time. You're my world now, Tris. I love you so much. My angel. My heart. My love. My Tris. I don't want this to sound too mushy, but you have no idea how much I mean every word. Every single word. I love you._

_Love, Tobias_

I put down the card, moved and touched. _I love you too, Tobias._ I utter silently, closing my eyes and thinking of him. _So, so much._ As I turn, a little book catches my eye. It's placed next to the vase, and has a bookmark tucked into it. Intrigued, I open the book to the bookmarked page. The title of the chapter catches my eye. _The Victorian Flower Language._

_Oh, Tobias._ There's a long list of different types of flowers followed by their meanings and symbols. Five are highlighted in electric pink.

_The lavender rose is a symbol of enchantment and love at first sight. They symbolize enrapturement and adoration._

_ The red rose is a symbol of love, passion, deep respect, and courage. It also symbolizes beauty._

_ White roses symbolize innocence and are also used as bridal roses. In some cultures, they also symbolize true love._

_ Yellow or golden roses symbolize friendship, love, joy, and delight. They are also a symbol of new beginnings. _

_ Thornless roses are a simple symbol of love at first sight._

I drop the little book, rendered completely and utterly speechless for one of the few times in my life. Oh, _Tobias._ I love him so much. This was so thoughtful. A single tear leaks out of my eye and trickles down my face. I wipe it away, but for once I'm not ashamed to be crying.

My phone buzzes. I unlock it and check my texts.

_Tobias: You like it? :)_

_Tris: Tobias, this is absolutely and utterly breathtaking. I LOVE IT SO MUCH. Now where r u?_

A few seconds later, I hear a click followed by a creak. Tobias? I creep to the kitchen entrance and quietly peek out into the hallway. I'm such a spy. And I see Tobias right in front of me against the hallway wall, trying to do the same thing.

"AHHH!" I shriek, leaping away at the same time Tobias squeals like a little girl and stares at me. "Tris!"

"Tobias! What're you doing?"

"Um... trying to scare you?" He says carefully. "What about you?"

"Uh, I'm, uh..." I rack my brain for a better explanation. "I was sneaking up on you. You could've been like Eric back from the factionless or Peter or something and I was being a good little Dauntless, about to hit you."

"Well, thanks." Tobias looks a little miffed, before he breaks into a wide grin. "So you like it?"

I run a hand through my hair, letting out a sigh. "Like it? Tobias, I LOVE IT!" I tackle him and pull him into a kiss, wrapping my arms around him as tightly as I can manage. He responds just as eagerly, kissing me with happiness and tender love. We break the kiss and move a centimeter apart, still looking at each other with adoration. I ruffle his hair lovingly. "It was so thoughtful. I can't believe it. Where'd you get the idea?"

"Actually, Zeke. Though I embellished it a little." Tobias says, grinning. "Can you believe that? My best mate's a romantic at heart." He rolls his eyes. "Though I'm not going to tell you about the process leading up to that. I don't think you'd enjoy hearing our discussion." I grin slightly. "Thank you. I don't fancy hearing about it."

Tobias smiles and ever so slowly leans down, giving me a gentle kiss. "Happy anniversary, Tris." His deep blue eyes are absolutely mesmerizing, filled with love and emotion. I entwine my hand with his as he smiles softly at me. "Thank you," I whisper. And then I realize I didn't get him anything. I voice that thought.

"I'm so sorry, Tobias. I didn't get you anything."

"It's fine, Tris," he reassures me. "I don't need anything. I do have one more surprise for you, though." He winks at me, grinning. "But it's for later."

"Can I get a hint?"

Tobias laughs, a rumble that shakes his body. Which abruptly cuts off after a few seconds. "Oh. You were serious."

I glower at him and slap his arm. "I'm going to go shower now." As I turn and march into the bathroom, I can hear his soft snickers echoing behind me. Scowling, I pick up a stray pillow lying on the floor and throw it over my shoulder.

"You missed."

You see what I have to deal with? I head into the bathroom after remembering to grab my clothes from the closet. Not making that mistake again. Nope.

I take a fifteen minute shower, revelling in the warmth of the water and the steam swirling in the air. I twist the clear knob - shutting off the water, before wrapping the towel around myself and stepping out of the shower. I pull on the ruffled black tank top I brought and a simple pair of frayed red denim shorts. Looking in the mirror, I add some mascara and lip gloss just for Christina, and give my hair a few quick brushes. I walk out of the bathroom quietly. After seeing Tobias is nowhere to be found, I slip on my red and black plaid Converse and grab my phone and apartment keys before walking out of the apartment. Humming, I walk down to the training room and go inside. The room is utterly deserted with the exception being Tobias, who is leaning against the wall picking at a muffin.

"Hey," he smiles. "You knew I would be here?"

"Nah," I grin. "A hunch. Besides, you ditched me, so I had to come find you."

Tobias smiles. "Muffin?" Without waiting for an answer, he tosses me a blueberry muffin. I catch it and take a bite, inhaling its warm fragrance. Huh. Deja vu. I think I've done this before. Oh well.

"It's the final simulations today," Tobias says. I nod. "I wonder how they'll do." Tobias looks over. "You know it's the 20 minute thing you suggested now, right? It's given them so much confidence. I bet most of them will make it. It's just a matter of, like, self confidence."

I smile softly. "I hope they make it. By the way, where are they?"

As if on cue, one by one, the initiates filter in, slowly. Holly's hair is unkempt, and both Liam and Bryan have dark circles under their eyes. Claire keeps biting her lip and her eyes dart around nervously. David, Alex, and even Britney all look worried, evidence shown in their unkempt appearance and nervous expressions.

I smile at them. "Hey guys."

They mumble "hey" back, looking at me nervously. I sigh. "Listen guys, you've all been great this week. I'm happy to say that most of you have improved drastically. It's been a great month - I've loved getting to know you all: each and everyone one of you. You're great kids. And somewhere, each and everyone one of you are Dauntless." And this time, I mean Britney too. I have to give it to her. It's got to take courage to stand up to your instructors: even over the most trivial matters. Even though I have no love or respect for her at all, I don't want to see her fail. Inwardly, I smile my thoughts. Take a kid and put them in Abnegation for sixteen years and this is what you get. Thinking kindly of your enemies.

I continue. "Every single one of you has the ability: has the focus, the courage to do this. I am absolutely certain you guys can do this. You can do it. I believe in you. I'll give you guys a tip. As you're going through the simulations, think of something you care deeply about. Love, even. Your family - your siblings - your friends. Let the thought of them keep you going when you're broken by a fear. It'll work, I promise." I smile slightly. "Are you guys ready?"

"No," Liam mutters. I ruffle his hair encouragingly. "Come on, guys. Time for the final simulations."

Tobias, who had been letting me take the lead this whole time, comes forward and takes my hand encouragingly. "Let's go."

We lead the initiates through the maze of hallways into the small, sterile waiting room I remember so well. I remember sitting here on the bright orange benches, palms slick with sweat, teeth chattering as I imagined becoming factionless. I shiver slightly.

The initiates assemble onto the benches alongside the Dauntless born initiates, who are already seated. None of them look too good either.

"Remember," I say, addressing everyone, even the Dauntless borns. "You guys are great. Make it under 20 minutes, you're Dauntless. That simple. But you'll be great. I promise. Go out there and do your best."

A few of them manage weak smiles at this.

Tobias and I leave the room and walk up a flight of stairs that leads to the glass room filled with TV's letting us see the simulation working, and overlooking the chamber of the final simulations. We join Christina, Uriah, and three other Dauntless as impartial judges of the simulations. Christina moves next to me and whispers. "God, this is nerve-racking." At least Jeanine is absent, though a broad man clad in blue and sporting a pair of thick, dark rimmed glasses is seated at the edges of the hall, pen poised to take notes. To find possible Divergents. Something's suddenly making it hard to swallow.

I realize I have to respond to Christina and manage a weak smile for her, as nervous as the initiates. But even though I'm sealed in this glass chamber, high above the cushioned orange simulation chair below, I can't help pressing my hand to the glass and mouthing "Alex" as Alex walks into the hall out of a little adjoining passage, his jaw set in a stubborn expression. My fingers curl, and I look down, hoping, praying, he'll remember what Tobias taught him and put it to use. Tobias moves next to me and takes my other hand.

"He'll be fine." He whispers softly, but even I can hear the doubt ringing through his voice. And then, to himself, Tobias mutters. "Let the games begin."

**Hope you liked it! I finally managed to get my brother off of the computer and get some time to type this out. Seriously crazy how I have to bribe him to give me some screen time. But hope you liked it; remember to review and tell me your thoughts! And 466 followers, guys. 466 living and breathing people want to know when I update. I am utterly stunned. That's more people than kids in my grade. XD**

**By the way, a few readers PMed me asking me to update. I'm really sorry this has taken so long. Lately, I've been really obsessed with Trivia Crack. Don't ask. **

**Please review, and I'll see you next time! Remember to watch the Super Bowl ;).**

**~DauntlessProdigy4Life**


	36. Simulations and Britney

**Back :D THE SPONGEBOB MOVIE RELEASED! Are you all going to go watch it? I really want to – haha :D. Anyway, here's another chapter for you. You probably know that already. Okay, I'm going to stop now. Here's your chapter.**

**Disclaimer: Don't own Divergent. Yeah, that.**

It goes by so fluidly, almost dreamlike. And I'm left watching as they struggle through their simulations, useless and pressing my forehead to the glass as if they can somehow sense me.

Alex settles into the chair, his fists clenched as Tori, also the administrator of the serum, walks up and gently swabs his neck with an antibacterial wipe, She positions the plunger and slowly pressing down. As he shudders and closes his eyes, Tori takes a little metal wire - not unlike the kind Tobias and I use when we go into each other's simulations, and attaches it to his forehead. The TV's in our little glass cage begin a countdown as the end of the 60 seconds nears.

_Ten._

_Nine._

_Will he do it?_

_Eight._

_Seven._

_What if he takes too long?_

_Six._

_Five._

_What if he becomes factionless?_

_Four._

_Three._

_His father beat him too. How will Tobias react if Alex doesn't make it?_

_Two._

_One._

"No," I whisper, wanting to say something, wanting to give Alex those final words of encouragement as he sinks into the simulation, fear evident on his face. To tell him he can do it; that he _has _to do it... he _will_ do it. And then I turn to the TV, determined not to miss a moment.

The first fear is back. His father's beating him bloody with the belt again. Alex yells out, his arms crossed to his chest. The lashes begin to appear on his arms again, bleeding scarlet. I'm afraid to turn, to see Tobias' reaction again. I know that affects him every single time. I'm hanging to a slight hope that Alex will make it. But as he cowers on the ground after letting out a slight whimper, I close my eyes, crestfallen. He didn't do it. _He didn't do it._

And then Tobias entwines his hand with mine. "Tris." He whispers.

"What?"

"Look."

I look up at the screen once more. Alex is still on the ground, but there's something else. Something new. There's a fire in his eyes: blazing as he wobbles to his feet, staring daggers at his father.

"Alex. Don't you dare disobey now. It's for your own good. What are you doing?" His father tries to give him another lash with the belt but Alex catches the end in midair.

"YOU'RE NOT GOING TO HURT ME AGAIN!" And with those words, he elbows his dad in the throat and lets a series of punches fly, which I recognize as one of the sequences Tobias taught him.

_He's doing it._ And with one final punch, Alex knocks his dad out, still breathing hard, but with a slight smile on his face.

Tobias squeezes my hand, grinning happily. I just close my eyes, thankful that Alex had the strength to stand up to his dad.

The rest of the simulation passes by quickly, Alex going through his list of fears as fast as he can - Tobias and I silently encouraging him. As the last fear slowly disappears, I can't help but break into applause, inspiring everyone else to come with me. Down in the hall, Alex flies up, breathing hard with little beads of sweat dotting his forehead. Tori ruffles his hair and turns to a computer to click something. And then the results play over the loudspeaker.

_Transfer: Alex Johnson. Fears: 14. Time..._

The silence is agonizing.

_18:43._

And it erupts.

"YEAH!" Alex roars as he throws his arms in the air in celebration. I hug Tobias as hard as I can, a single tear slipping out of my eye. I squeeze my eyes tightly shut, trying to avoid crying. Wow. First crying at the roses this morning, then at Alex making Dauntless. Chris will be furious if I ruin my makeup. I bite my lip and focus on the topic at hand, still slightly emotional. "Tobias, he's Dauntless."

Tobias lets out a breath, seeming to relieve built up tension. "I know." Down on the floor, Alex closes his eyes tightly for a second before lifting his head up to make direct eye contact with me. It startles me for a moment to realize that he knew we were here.

_Thank you Four and Six_, he mouths, before running back down the corridor. I can still hear his shouts echoing down the hall.

"He found his Dauntless," Tobias smiles, watching him with a slightly wistful expression on his face. I squeeze his hand and take a deep breath. "Next initiate now."

The fear simulations pass quickly. As first Holly, then Liam go through their fears, I can't help but sneak glances at the Erudite advisor sitting here in Jeanine's place. It doesn't look like anything out of the ordinary - his face is a mask, and his eyes only divert from the screens for a few seconds as he jots down a note. I just pray for the best. But both Liam and Holly have times well under 20 minutes, and absolutely clean as far as I can tell. Their simulations portray them as utterly Dauntless. I watch closely, but none of the initiates are showing any sign of Divergence, even the Dauntless borns. I can't help holding my breath during each one, though.

The last simulation. It's Britney's, as we're going in alphabetical order.

Her simulation begins. This I want to watch.

I don't pay much attention to her actual fears, but more how she reacts to them. Her reaction is poorer than most - no all of the other initiates. She cringes at every fear, closing her eyes and breathing quickly. I sigh. Even though I don't like her... understatement there... I guess I don't really want to see her fail and become factionless.

Finally, her fear of banshees melts away into darkness and Britney sits up, her makeup messed up and her breathing labored. For a second, the mask shown to the world falls apart and I can see fear and pure sadness on her face as she stares unhappily at the floor. But then the mask is back and she portrays a sneer on her face.

_Transfer: Britney Jade Yvette. Fears: 21. Time: 32:59._

Silence.

I'm afraid to breathe as I watch her reaction carefully. But my mind is spinning. In the practice sessions she had a 21 minute time. She should've averaged a little less than a minute to a fear, and she would've made it. But this... 12 minutes over the limit...

"What?" Britney asks.

Tori answers her. "You're, um, factionless, kid. I'm sorry."

"WHAT?"

Her expression turns horrified then desperate. "No. No. I can't be. I CAN'T BE. You must've gotten something wrong!" She pleads, fear evident on her face.

Tori shakes her head. "Sorry kid. Get to the Pit: Four and Six have to see off all the factionless initiates."

"NO! NO! I CAN'T! I-" A security guard grabs her arm and hauls her off down the hallway.

"It's over." I sigh, a twinge of guilt stabbing at me. "Britney..."

"Good riddance," Tobias says firmly, wrapping his arms around me. "She'll never be able to hurt you again, and that I'm thankful for."

"Tobias, I just... I know she deserved it. But she didn't fit in Dauntless. She deserves another chance."

"What?"

"I... If we had helped her yesterday like we helped Alex, she would've... she might've made it."

Tobias gives only a slight nod.

"So I feel like it's my fault she's factionless now. We're supposed to help our initiates."

"Tris, it's not your fault. It was her-"

"Can we give her another chance?"

"What do you mean?"

"We could send her to Am-"

Tobias presses his hand over my lips immediately and suddenly his expression turns dark and frightening. "Don't say any more."

"Mmphg-"

"Tris! Please, just trust me." I close my eyes and give an affirmative nod. Tobias lets me go. "Remember, shh."

I turn. There stands the Erudite representative in the doorway, smiling at us.

"Hello." I am suddenly grateful Tobias stopped me when he did.

"Welcome to Dauntless, um..."

"Oh, you don't need to know my name," he says, giving us a smile of false cheer. "I'm Jeanine's advisor. I'm just pleased to report that none of your initiates have been reported as Divergent."

It feels like a weight's been lifted off my chest.

Tobias, however, is glaring at the advisor. "We could have told Jeanine that. She didn't need to send someone."

The man, however, still smiles. "We just like to double check our facts, you know. Thank you for this..." He seems to be searching for the right world. "...fascinating experience. Ms. Jeanine Matthews will be seeing you tomorrow at the meeting." He leaves with a nod, still clutching his clipboard.

"What meeting?" I ask Tobias, confused. He shrugs. "I dunno. We should ask Mat."

We walk down to the Pit after bidding farewell to the other Dauntless in the room with us. On the way, we run into Holly, Liam, Claire and Bryan, who are celebrating in the halls by running up and down the corridors, whooping and punching their fists in the air. Strange. Must be an initiate thing. Did I do that?

We congratulate them, high fiving and pointing out what they did well. I pull Holly and Claire into a hug, smiling. "You aren't initiates any more."

Claire grins. "That we aren't, Tris. There's a party tonight, right?"

"Oh, right..." I remember. "Shoot."

"What?" Holly asks, running a hand through her dark hair.

I give her a look. "Chris. Shopping." Holly grins. "I think that sums her up. We're not going, right?" She asks Claire. Ouch. Probably not a good idea.

Claire glares at Holly, her green eyes startlingly vibrant. "We're not going, right?" Claire says, mimicking Holly. "OF COURSE WE'RE GOING! Holls, it's our initiation party!"

I grin. "We've gotta go, guys. But see you later." As I pass Holly, I whisper, "good luck". She sticks her tongue out at me. "Wow, mature," is my parting shot.

We enter the Pit. It's more or less empty, all the other Dauntless with the initiates celebrating their entry into our faction. I see Britney sitting on a ledge by herself, tears flowing down her cheeks and her eyeliner smudged. No one is with her. I'm suddenly glad that Christina and Uriah did their job well and no other initiates were cut.

I bite my lip. Now or never. "Britney," I call. She turns and immediately tries to wipe away the tears with her sleeve, sniffling slightly. "Yeah," she sneers. "I'm factionless now?"

I look at Tobias, and we communicate silently. "Can I?" I whisper. He closes his eyes, takes a deep breath, and without opening them, gives me a nod.

"I'm sorry." I give him a peck and turn to Britney. "To answer your question, yes and no."

"What?"

"You are technically factionless. But can I ask you a question? What was your actual aptitude on your test? It wasn't Dauntless, was it?"

She gives an almost indiscernible shake of her head. "No."

"I'm not going to make you tell me what it was," I say matter-of-factly. "But would you like another chance?"

She looks up questioningly.

"I'm not going to lie. I think I should've tried to help you more, even though you dislike me and I dislike you. I'm not going to let that slide. But you're factionless now, through your own actions and decisions. But we're willing to give you a chance."

"What do you mean?" She whispers, the faintest traces of hope edging her voice, as if she doesn't dare to let herself believe it.

"How would you like to go to Amity?"

"Amity?" She whispers. "What?"

"You would start over, in essence. Not exactly as an initiate, but you would at first learn Amity customs and whatever they want to teach you. Then you would eventually work there, probably for a higher ranking person who wouldn't reveal that you were originally at Dauntless."

"I could start over?"

"Yes, basically."

"Why?" She whispers. "Why not just let me be factionless?"

"You are factionless," I say, my voice sharp. "You've not had a good time here at Dauntless and it's been bad for the other initiates too. You've thrown tantrums and yelled and squealed and started fights. You deserve everything coming to you and more. But I still think I should've helped you: I don't know why, but it's our duty to help the initiates. It's too late to make you Dauntless. But I can give you a chance. Mess it up, it's over. You'll be a true factionless. But you'll be able to be at Amity: a factionless advisor, or worker, or whatever job they give you. Will you take it?"

"I...yes." She bites her lip. "When?'

"Now. The train's coming." As if to emphasize my point, a long whistle sounds outside. "The guard will take you to the train," I say, motioning to a Dauntless woman standing next to the doorway. "Tell Johanna Reyes I sent you."

The guard takes Britney's arm and they walk toward the exit to the Pit. But as they step through the exit, Britney turns one last time, her green eyes brimming slightly with tears. "I never liked you, Six. I thought you were the reason my time at Dauntless was so horrible and that you stole everything I was supposed to have. And I still don't like you." She gives a small smile. "But this... there's nothing I can say but thank you."

I nod. "Good luck, Britney." And she turns and walks out.

I'm staring after her at the exit to the Pit for a few seconds before Tobias captures my lips with his. "That was a truly selfless thing to do."

I smile slightly. "You think?"

"I know."

"Well," I sigh. "I kinda sent her to Amity because I knew they would take her, but also partly because... well... Amity usually doesn't associate with Dauntless... and well..."

"You'll never see her again," Tobias finishes. He grins. "A happy medium." He links his hand with mine. "C'mon, love. My little Abnegation." I smile happily, leaning into his shoulder.

"I love you, Tobias."

"Love you too, Trissy. Except when you steal my cake. That's not very nice."

"Where'd that come from... never mind. I shouldn't have asked. When was the last time I stole your cake?"

"I dunno," he answers. I beam. "You do it too much for me to remember." The beam becomes a frown.

"I'm tired," I sigh, trying to change the subject. "Why don't we go back to the apartment?" Tobias suggests. "You know, we can do stuff." He waggles his eyebrows, grinning.

I shove him. "Tobias!" But I shoved him a little harder than I meant to and he hits the wall.

"OW!"

"Um, heh... heh... sorry Toby."

"You'd better be sorry," he mumbles, rubbing his shoulder.

"Aww," I say. "Does little Tobias want me to fix his shoulder and make it all better?"

"A kiss would make it better," Tobias perks up, smiling mischieviously.

He gets a quick peck on the cheek.

"You know, that's totally what I meant."

"I know," I say happily, skipping down the hall.

"What even. Sarcasm Tris, sarcasm."

I sigh, grab his shoulders, and pull him down into a kiss.

"Better?"

"Much," he answers, a dopey grin plastered on his face. I roll my eyes as we share another short kiss before running off to find everyone else.

**So, you like it? You have no idea how tempted I was to stop it at a cliffhanger partway through the chapter, but then I went and wrote 800 extra words for you so it wouldn't be a cliffhanger. You love me, right? XD Remember to review, and I'll see you next time! **

**DAUNTLESSPRODIGY4LIFE OUT!**

**I really need a shorter name.**


	37. Shopping

**BACK! So, I updated World of Divergent for the first time in ten months. Yay for me. But TEN ;) You know. Four plus Six. Yeah. I totally meant to do that. But thanks to the Guest for reminding me about it. Anyway, hope you like this chapter, and thanks to all my reviewers!**

**Disclaimer: Still don't own Divergent. Too tired to think of anything else to write.**

"Quiet, Tris. Shopping has been proven to be extremely therapeutic for women, relieving stress as well as strengthening the immune system." Christina gives me a small grin and turns away, beginning to rifle through a rack of floral skirts.

"Huh?" I cock my head, confused. "Where'd that come from?"

"I looked it up especially for our next shopping trip so that you would stop complaining." Christina smirks. "I'm so proud of me."

I attempt to roll my eyes and shake my head simultaneously. I don't think it's working. "You're impossible sometimes, you know?"

"Nothing's impossible!" Christina sings happily. I just turn away and begin exaggeratedly talking to Holly. I feel her grinning over my shoulder. I voice that thought.

"I can feel you smiling," I say, still facing Holly.

"That's impossible."

AHA! I turn and take great joy in slowly, and hopefully painfully, declaring "NOTHING'S IMPOSSIBLE!"

Holly and Claire simultaneously burst into laughter and then try to stifle it as Christina stares daggers at all three of us.

"I don't like you." She sighs, turning back to the clothes. "I wish Marlene could've come. She would've supported me."

I grin. "Well, she's not here. She's already bought her dress, and now she's off doing stuff with Uriah..." My lips curl into an evil smile.

"Ew, Tris!" Christina's face contorts into a disgusted expression. "The images! Ugh... okay, I've changed my mind. I really don't like you." She turns away, her nose in the air.

In an obvious attempt to calm her down, Claire dashes away, and comes back with a deep red, almost maroon crop top with long sleeves, straps crisscrossing the front and a deep V-neck. "Christina - I saw this earlier. You like it?"

Christina's face lights up. "Ooh - yes! This is so cute!" She descends upon Claire, wrapping her in a tight hug. "THANK YOU! I forgive you. Tris and Holly are still mean."

"Thank you?" Claire awkwardly tries to hug Christina back. "And I know. I am way nicer than they are." She smirks at us. My jaw drops open. Traitor.

Chris finally pulls away and heaves a sigh. "I'll have to try this on later. First, dresses!" Claire grins happily

She plops the shirt into our cart and chases Holly and I to the back left of the store before we can escape; Claire holding our forearms to prevent either of us from bolting. As the clothes begin to melt from jeans and sweaters to formal and party dresses, I sigh. Maybe this won't be too bad?

"So... Holly first?" Claire asks, giving Holly a nudge. Holly starts out of her stupor and looks at Claire with a sorrowful expression. "I've been betrayed!" Claire ignores her.

Christina beams. "Sure." She looks Holly over, before abruptly turning and disappearing into the racks and aisles of frilly dresses.

"Should I be scared?" Holly asks, grinning.

"Holly!" Claire scolds. "How long do you think she'll take?" She asks me.

"Chris?" I ask. "Right about..." I pretend to check my nonexistent watch. "Now."

"HOLLY!" Comes a yell. "I FOUND THE PERFECT DRESS FOR YOU!"

"That was fast," Holly says, startled. She grins. "I WANNA SEE!" She yells back. A passing Candor employee clothed in black and white gives us a dirty look.

"Sorry," Holly whispers. I grin. "Let's go see your dress."

A few minutes later, as Holly steps out of the dressing room, Christina claps in pleasure. "Absolutely perfect!" Holly's dress is velvety and black, tight in the right places with a flared skirt. The straps are an inch wide, moving from the dress up over her shoulders and crisscrossing to move downward and reach the back of the dress. The cutouts over her hips are covered with sheer black lace woven in an intricate pattern. It's not my style, but she looks stunning. Chris is really good at this.

Holly grins and gives us a twirl. "Chris, you even found it in my size. It's so comfortable!"

Christina smiles. "You need shoes to go with that. We'll meet you in the shoe section soon: Claire'll join you once we find her dress."

"Okay," Holly says. She turns to me. "Tris? What do you think?"

"Cute," I grin. "I bet Liam would love that." She gives me a playful slap. "Shut up, Tris."

"Claire's turn!" Christina squeals.

After ten minutes of sauntering up and down aisles, we find a dress for Claire. Hers is looser; a strapless black lace dress hanging down in ruffles to her knee and a sweetheart neckline lined with tiny black roses. After she tries it on and gets the "Christina Ross Stamp of Approval", she waves and runs off to go join Holly in the shoe section.

Christina finds her dress not long after; turns out she's had her eye on it this whole time. She practically sprints to the dressing room and I settle down on one of the chairs outside the room, checking the clock every few seconds and watching the little kid next to me play Pokemon.

Chris comes out, swathed in black fabric. "How do I look?" She asks, smiling. Her dress is so... _Christina_. It's a horizontal striped dress that ends at mid-thigh, intricate red lace followed by a strip of black fabric: so on and so forth. It's sleeveless, and the skirt is a clean, modern design of black with little intricate red beading. The back is just two strips of crisscrossing red lace. It suits her down to the last stitch.

"Chris, you look stunning. Will won't be able to keep his hands off of you all night," I say with a smile. She bites her lip. "Are you sure?"

"I'm sure. It's gorgeous."

"Okay," Christina hugs me. "Love you, Tris. Now for the best part. We need to find your dress!"

She excuses herself and goes back into the waiting room, emerging a minute later with her dress slung over one arm. "Let's do this!"

We wander aimlessly through the aisles, Chris picking up one dress after another. I see a few I like, but not enough to wear. After a while, I just follow Christina obliviously, letting her pick out dresses for me.

"Okay, I think I'm done." She says suddenly. "Try these on." She heaves a pile of dresses into my arms. I stagger toward the dressing rooms, my view blocked by the dresses. "Don't crash into anything!" I hear her call. Aww. She loves me. "Really, I'm serious! You'll ruin the dresses!" Never mind.

One after another, the dresses are rejected. Too poofy. Too straight. Too ruffly. Too plain. Too revealing. Too concealing. And then I walk out, modeling the second to last dress.

It's black dress cut off at the thighs and moulded comfortably to my body. There's only one sleeve over my right arm, but the other arm, I suppose, is going sleeveless. There are cutouts over my shoulders and one triangle cutout over my left hip; not bad enough to be revealing, but still modern and stylish. Little silver and red gems dot the neckline, adding dimension to the dress. This dress is right up there with the gorgeous black dress I wore last initiation.

"I love it!" Christina squeals, throwing her arms around me. "You are utterly stunning in this, Tris. Please get it. Please? Please?"

I paste a skeptical expression on my face, just to annoy her. "I don't know..."

"PLEASE?"

"Fine," I grin. I can't keep up the facade for long. "It's beautiful," I breathe, tracing the lines and gems adorning the dress. "I hope it's not too expensive. The tag says these little jewels are... real..." I look at the little gems adorning the dress and suddenly see them in a whole new light.

Christina just looks at me. "Tris. You're a Dauntless leader. Your salary is given to you by the government AND bigger than probably anyone's here. You're filthy rich."

"Really?" I muse. "I should really start looking into finance matters beginning tomorrow. It wouldn't feel right spending this much though..."

"Not again. Tris, can I tell you something?"

"Yeah?"

"This past year as a factions ambassador, you've worked harder than any of us, really. And during initiation, you've been absolutely fabulous. Uriah and I have had our fair share of work with the Dauntless initiates, but you and Four were amazing in the way you worked _with_ the initiates, not acting like you were better than them. It's probably the Abnegation in you."

I smile slightly; she doesn't know that there's Abnegation in Tobias too. But it's still so sweet. She continues on. "Tris, every single initiate this year graduated except for Britney. That was her name, right? Anyway, you have no idea what kind of a record that is for Dauntless. Taking in only the top ten initiates has hurt Dauntless way too much; I actually checked the records. You are a positive influence here, and I bet you and Four are going to be the best leaders ever." She gives me a hug. "You've worked way too much, you deserve a little break and an allowance to splurge." She gives me a sad smile. "Anyway, you're going to be busy for the next year or years. You won't have time for us anymore. You'll be with Four, starting a new life. Come to the party, let's have a great time before your duties start tomorrow. You deserve it."

"Chris..." I whisper, my throat beginning to ache. "I..."

"Tris, you don't need to say anything. I'm fine with it, really. I know it's your job. But you deserve this. Please."

I can't handle it anymore. I throw my arms around Chris and bury my face into her shoulder, shaking slightly. After a few seconds, I pull away slightly to speak. "Christina, you are literally my best friend. I am _never_ going to abandon you guys; I'll quit being a leader if I have to. You were the first real friends I had outside of the few friendships I had at Abnegation. You, in particular, were the first person I met at Dauntless." She gives me a tiny smile at this. "I love you, I don't know what I'd do without you, and you've always been there for me." I hug her one more time. "Okay?"

"Okay." She hugs me back. "Please, Tris?"

"Fine," I grin. "Let's go." We go pick out shoes with Holly and Claire and pay for everything at the counter, including Christina's dark red crop top that I think she might love even more than she loves Will.

Okay, probably not. But almost as much.

We bid farewell to Holly and Claire who run off to their new apartments to get ready. And then I remember that I have to find a present for Tobias. "Oh, Christina! Can I meet you back at my apartment in twenty minutes?"

"What? Why?"

"I need to go get a present for To-Four. Today, a year ago, was the day he asked me to be his girlfriend. He gave me roses this morning."

"Aww," Christina beams. "That's so cute. Yeah, sure. Could you give me the keys to your apartment? Marlene was coming too so we could all get ready together. She and I can just finish our makeup and hair and we'll do you last when you get back."

"Thanks," I say gratefully, handing her my keys. "Could you drop my dress and shoes off in my apartment too?"

"Yeah, sure. Bye!" She waves, turning to walk down the hall.

"See you soon!" I call. And then I turn and dash down to the Pit, knowing I don't have a lot of time. As I pass each store, I just take a quick glance inside and move on, not really seeing anything great. Shirts... eh, not special enough. Flowers... definitely not. Jewelry... uh, no. And then I see a store that custom-makes items. Interesting.

I step inside, looking around curiously. The girl at the counter looks up, a smile on her face. "Hi, welcome to Johnson's Custom Shop, how can I help you?"

"I'd like something custom made - what do you have?" I ask. "Wait, actually, how long will this kind of thing take?"

"Oh, just fifteen minutes or so if you want things like a picture pasted onto glass or wood or something but a up to a few days if you want like a sculpture custom made."

"Can I get the glass thing?" I suddenly have an idea. She nods. "Take it off the Dauntless leader account," I add, and her eyes widen. "Six?"

"Yeah," I say, giving her a slight nod. "Anyway, could you give me a minute?"

"Yeah, sure."

I pull out my cell phone and dial my parents' number. I hesitate slightly, my thumb hovering over the call button, but out of pure will I press down anyway. After a few rings, someone picks up. "Prior residence, Abnegation, how can I help you?"

My mother's voice does something to my insides, and I swallow hard to reply. "Mom, it's Tri - Beatrice."

Silence.

"Beatrice? How are you?"

"I'm great, mom. How are you?"

Oh, shoot. I can't ask her how she is. Abnegation.

"Good," she answers, slightly uneasily. "Why are you calling, sweetie?"

"Do you remember Marcus and Tobias Eaton? When they came over for dinner when Caleb and I were younger?" _Caleb_. The line has gone unnaturally still.

"Mom?"

"Oh, I'm sorry, Beatrice. Yes, of course I remember them."

"Would you possibly have any pictures of Tobias and I?"

"Probably, I would have to check though. Caleb would be in the picture too, though."

"That's fine." _I can crop it._ I don't say that aloud though, not wanting to say it in front of her. "Could you email the picture to me?"

"Yes, of course."

"Thanks, mom."

"No, thank you, Beatrice."

I'm about to say "bye" when she speaks one more time. "Beatrice... will you be visiting soon?"

I'm filled with guilt. "Yes, of course, mom. I'll visit as soon as I can. I can't wait to see you guys. I love you."

"I love you too," she says. I can hear the smile in her voice.

"Bye," I say.

"Good-bye, Beatrice."

The line goes dead.

I open my email and after a few seconds, I hear a ding. A new email surfaces, and I open it to see a picture of little me, Tobias and Caleb all standing in front of the dining table, grinning happily at the camera. Carefully, using an editing app on my phone, I crop Caleb out of the picture, then show the picture to the girl. "Could you put this onto a glass rectangle and another picture beside it? And would it be possible to engrave something on that too?"

"Yes, that won't take long. May I use your phone?"

"Yeah."

Within two minutes, the picture is pasted onto a glass rectangle that has intricate gold designs around the edges. I show the girl a second picture of me and Tobias kissing in front of the Chasm - it was taken by Christina last summer. We're both completely unaware of anyone watching, lost in each other. The girl smiles slightly at the picture. "Four, right?"

"Yeah."

She smiles and proceeds to put the second picture onto the glass as well. "What would you like me to engrave?"

I smile.

* * *

"TRIS!" Marlene yells, when she sees me entering the apartment. "How was the shopping trip?" She smirks.

Christina falls on Marlene, fake-weeping and wailing her heart out. "MARLENE! I ALREADY TOLD YOU! YOU ABANDONED ME! I WAS OUTNUMBERED!" She gives us a mocking dramatic pose, her hand at her chest. "The... the only support I had was CLAIRE! I WAS BETRAYED!"

Marlene pats Chris' arm comfortingly then turns to me. "Tris, I think you broke her."

"I did not!"

Christina sighs. "And the only way I will be all right again, is if we start hair and makeup on Tris IMMEDIATELY," she grins evilly.

Marlene grins at me too. "Okay Tris, looks like you're up now."

"But... but..." I trail off.

"Yes, Tris?" Christina looks at me, a sugary sweet expression plastered on her face.

"Fine," I sigh. "Let's get this over with."

Once again, I am thrown into the ritual of Christina doing my makeup and Marlene fixing my hair. This time, Christina goes for the natural look once again, but also opting for daring colors to stand out. I watch as she layers my eyeshadow until it reaches a bronze-like color, darkening at the sides. She gives me a black eyeliner, adding a wing at each end of my eye. She curls my eyelashes and gives them a thin layer of mascara. How do I know all this? She's giving me a running commentary as she does my makeup.

"And now, I'm doing your foundation," she lectures, using a brush to spread a pale peach powder all over my face. Unluckily, my mouth is open, and I gag and spit as the powder enters my mouth. "EWW!"

"Your fault," she grins. The rest of the time passes by peacefully; I take a short nap as Christina finishes my makeup and Marlene does my hair.

"WAKE UP!"

I am startled awake and I blink my eyes blearily, looking around in confusion. "Huh?"

"Tris, you have to go change."

"Ok," I mumble. I stumble into the bathroom and change into my dress before walking back out and slipping on a pair of red high heels. I grab my phone and keys from the nightstand, pick up the package for Tobias, and smile at Christina and Marlene. "Let's go, guys."

By chance, I glance into the mirror as we leave my apartment, and I am left gaping.

They've done it again. I look like me, but... I don't. My hair cascades in soft, floaty waves around my shoulders, and my dress is absolutely stunning and hugs me comfortably. I... I... I'm... I just feel beautiful, for once in my life. Special.

"Thank you, once again." I give them a hug. "The best friends anyone could ever ask for."

"Aww." Marlene hugs me back and gives me a light kiss on the forehead. "You're beautiful, Tris. Now let's go find Four and use you to make him speechless. I've never seen him speechless before, and today will be the day." She beams. "Now let's go have some fun!"

**This chapter was not edited, so sorry for any misspellings or anything. Review, and I'll see you soon!**

**~DP4L ;)**


	38. Love is in the Air

**Hey guys! Thank you so much for all the reviews. Anyway, on with the chapter!**

**BTW, are you guys going to go watch Insurgent?**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Divergent, or any songs by Sixpence None The Richer.**

"Say Dauntless!" Christina squeals, holding her phone up, about to take the picture. Marlene and I beam at the camera happily, making identical peace signs.

The bright flash goes off. I barely wince; it's exactly like the bright lights flashing in every corner of Zeke's apartment and the yells and music that are threatening to make me deaf.

"Perfect!" She says, inspecting the picture before smiling at us.

Holly and Claire come up. "Hi!"

"Oh - hi!" I exclaim, turning to face them. "You guys look great!"

"Aww, thanks, Tris. You too!"

"We should take a group picture!" Christina says. "Will can take it for us. Will!" She calls, seeing Will lounging by the doorway on his phone. He looks up, grinning. "How's my beautiful fiancee?"

Christina rolls her eyes. "Can you take a picture for us?"

"Ok," he grins. "How many? I've certainly had experience with your hundreds of selfies." He shrinks back as Christina gives him a playful slap. "Shut up!"

The rest of us snicker as she sighs. "You didn't answer my question!" Will protests. Chris groans. "As many as needed," she proclaims. "Just do it!"

"When'd you become a Nike fan?" Will mutters, lifting the camera. Christina ignores him and beams. "Okay, guys, cheese on three! One, two..."

Holly winks at Marly and I nod back, grinning at Claire. We all catch the unspoken message.

"THREE - CHEESE!"

"GOUDA!" Marlene yells, at the same time that Claire and Holly both holler "CHEDDAR!". And I follow it up immediately, yelling "MOZZARELLA!" We all start laughing simultaneously, Christina's hands on her hips in a mock angry stance as Will takes the picture.

Christina glares at us. "I just, I give up." She throws her hands in the air, shaking her head. "Why?"

"Don't you love us?" I ask, flicking my hair mock-fashionably. No, not mock-fashionably. It was very fashionable. I'm so cool.

Christina sighs, grinning slightly. "These are my friends, guys," She says unhappily to no one in particular, gesturing to us. Her voice is drowned out in the deafening mass of sound anyway, though.

Suddenly, a song starts playing over the speakers set up in every corner.

_Lately I been, I been losing sleep..._

"YEAH!" Christina cries, jumping up and down. "This song is my jam." She gives me a tight hug and bounces off to get her phone from Will. "See you at Truth or Dare!" She calls. I wave back and start dancing to the beat myself with Marly.

A pair of arms wrap around me and a deep voice rumbles next to me. "Well, isn't someone lively."

I turn. "T-Four!"

"Hey Tris," Tobias smiles lovingly at me, his blue eyes sparkling with amusement. "You look absolutely stunning, by the way."

I raise myself up on my tiptoes and give him a kiss. "You don't look so bad yourself," I whisper, tracing his shoulderblade. He laughs. "I guess I don't look like much in comparison to the most beautiful girl in the room."

I sigh softly. "Tobias," I whisper.

"I mean it." He plants a short kiss on my forehead. "Completely." Tobias grins at me. "Can I give you something?"

I smile. "Yeah, sure." Suddenly, his attention is drawn to the wrapped parcel I hold in my hand. "Is that for me?" He asks, a hopeful beam on his face. I roll my eyes. "Eh..."

"TRIS!" His hand flies to his heart, and a mock despairing expression appears on his face. "I feel so loved."

"You are loved." I come up on my tiptoes and give him another kiss. "So, what was it you wanted to show me?"

"Come with me." Tobias squeezes my hand, and leads me through Zeke's apartment, up the staircase, and onto the rooftop. My breath catches as the sky comes into view, stretching over our whole world, glittering with thousands of silver stars. This is exactly like the night he proposed. And I can't even hear the yells or music from below anymore: it's utter solitude.

This was also the same rooftop we played Truth or Dare upon last year. I smile slightly, reliving the memories of when I was an initiate: carefree and exhilarated. Now I'm a Dauntless leader. _A Dauntless leader._ The reality sinks in once again, and I stumble slightly.

"Tris, are you okay?" Tobias' face comes into view, worried and concerned.

"Yeah," I brush away his concerns. "Can I give you your present first?" I make an effort to smile through my anxiety.

Tobias still looks slightly concerned, but he seems to brush it off as well. "Yeah, sure," he grins, beaming.

I hand him the parcel and entwine my hands together nervously, waiting to see his reaction. Unwrapping my present seems to take him the longest time ever as I bite my lip and tap my feet and complete every other action in the world to show how nervous I am. Joy.

At long last, he opens it. For ten seconds, he doesn't speak, just staring. And I begin to babble. "Do you like it? I... it was supposed to be, you know, like us when we were kids and us now, you get it? Yeah, I just wanted something like that, and the inscription is like 'I love you for all that you are and all that you have been and all you're yet to be'... it's like because we were sort of friends as kids and you were still an amazing friend, and I don't know if you remember it but we kind of knew each other in school and you helped me get over the teacher who bullied us and-"

Tobias finally moves and puts a finger to my lips. "Tris," he whispers, his voice trembling slightly. He lifts his eyes to meet mine. They're sparkling as they were before, but not with amusement anymore. With a different type of emotion. Shimmering with love. Sadness. Tenderness. Warmth. Pure... love.

"First of all," he begins, his voice shaking slightly. He swallows and continues. "I love it. It's amazing. Now that I've got that off of your mind..." He really does know me so well. "I love you too, my Tris. And of course I remember: every single instance you described. I remember going to many other Abnegation childrens' houses when I was young: Marcus..." His voice suddenly ends abruptly and he clenches his fists before continuing, plowing through the pain. I stroke his cheek. "Marcus knew tens of hundreds of important people so we would be going out to government officials' houses most days of the week for dinner. If I embarrassed him, he would whip me once we got home." Tobias closes his eyes. "I remember going to the Prior's house one of the most, actually. It's vague now, but I still remember you... and Caleb who was always barricaded up in his room." I swallow hard, a sudden lump forming in my throat at the remembrance of Abnegation. "Well, of course you remember me. I'm very memorable," I whisper softly, a weak attempt at humor. Tobias continues, brushing away a stray hair on my face."Of course, when we knocked, Caleb would let us in, but sit in the corner, reading."

That realization hits me like a brick wall once again. I should've realized before. All the signs were there that he was going to Erudite. I just turned a blind eye and looked to it as selflessness: as a sign that he wanted to better himself so he could further help our community. I sigh and wait for Tobias to continue.

"But I remember you," Tobias chuckles. "You, who intrigued me the most. You, who led me into your room, away where the adults couldn't see us, and proceeded to grab my hands and waltz me around the room. You, who got stuck in the tree outside your window and made me come out there too so you could pretend you were a princess and I was your prince coming to rescue you." Tobias laughs, and I take this moment to intervene.

"I don't remember any of that!"

"Like you would. I bet that we were like, what. 4 and 6?"

I make a "whatever" noise in the back of my throat. Tobias grins. "I love it, though, Tris. I really absolutely love it. It's a symbol of us." He leans in to kiss me, smiling. "I'll treasure it forever."

"You promise you won't lose it?" I murmur.

"Promise," he answers, and I can hear the hint of amusement return to his voice.

I grin. "So, what did you want to show me?"

"Oh! Close your eyes," he says happily.

"I have to?" I grumble, but I close them anyway. As soon as the absolute darkness hits me, soft music begins playing in the background, serenading the night.

_Kiss me, out of the bearded barley_

_Nightly, beside the green, green grass_

Something cold settles around my neck and I gasp, my hand flying to my neck. I look down to see a simple silver necklace with a little infinity symbol hanging off of it. It's silver, transitioning into jet black, then fading into a silver again. The chain is thin and intricately woven silver strands into a beautiful design. It's gorgeous. I whirl around. "I love it." I kiss him once again, winding my arms around his neck. Tobias sighs into the kiss, his arms around me. "I'm glad."

The music fades back into earshot.

_Swing, swing, swing the spinning step_

Tobias grins, sinking to one knee and spreading out his arms. "May I have this dance, my lady?"

I grin, sinking into a mock-curtsy. "You certainly may."

_You wear those shoes and I will, wear that dress._

Tobias gets up and takes my hand.

_Oh, kiss me... beneath the milky twilight._

_Lead me out on the moonlit floor... lift your open hand,_

He gives me a twirl and we dance together, swaying to the beat as one, the city slowly dropping off to sleep around us and the stars and moon our only audience.

_Strike up the band and make the fireflies dance, _

_Silver moon's sparkling_

Tobias move a stray hair off of my face. I bury my face in his chest, savoring every moment we're together: this closeness, this intimacy. The moonlight plays across his hair, giving the normally bronze color streaks of silver.

_So kiss me._

I close my eyes, relishing the warmth and softness. His warm touch dances lightly across my arm, giving me a tingling sensation all over my body.

_Kiss me, down by the broken tree house,_

_Swing me, upon its hanging tire,_

_Bring, bring - bring your flowered hat,_

_We'll take the trail marked on your, father's map..._

_Oh - kiss me..._

Tobias wraps his arms around me and hefts me into the air. I shriek as he spins me around, grinning boyishly.

_Beneath the milky twilight,_

_Lead me out on the moonlit floor... lift your open hand,_

_Strike up the band and make the fireflies dance,_

_Silver moon's sparkling,_

"I love you," he whispers shakily.

_So kiss me._

"I love you too."

* * *

We enter the party once again; I'm fingering my necklace and I can't stop smiling every few seconds. Tobias has this dopey, boyish grin on his face too that he can't seem to get rid of. It only intensifies whenever anyone looks at him strangely, noting his grin.

I hug him, grinning. "That was fun."

"Yeah," he grins, ruffling my hair. "Can we go get some food?"

"Sure," I answer. "I'm literally starving."

We make our way over to the table and each pick up a plate, loading assorted snacks onto our respective platters. Suddenly, someone taps my shoulder. "Tris!"

I turn. "Chris!" Christina grins at me as we hug each other. She's carrying a thick backpack over her shoulder. Out of the corner of my eye, I see Tobias mutter: "Tris and Chris," grinning.

"Tris, we're all going up to the rooftop in a few minutes to play truth or dare." I smile, remembering our earlier excursion onto the rooftop.

"Why're you smiling?"

"Oh, no reason," I answer hurriedly, realizing I left her hanging for a few seconds. "Yeah, sure. Wait, but I have to go back to my apartment to change!"

"Oh, no you don't," Christina grins. "I brought a backpack with a change of clothes for everyone. I wasn't going to risk last time happening again."

I smile. Then frown. "Wait, where'd you get my clothes?"

"Tris, we were in your apartment without you for half an hour. Your clothes were right there."

"Oh."

Christina grins and fishes a plastic white bag out of her backpack and presses it into my hands. "Go get changed. We'll meet you up on the rooftop."

"Okay. See you!" She disappears into the crowd. I turn and give Tobias a light kiss. "See you soon." He smiles.

I duck into a bathroom, lock the door and change quickly. Now clad in leggings and a black crop top with a fuzzy black mohair sweater on top, I make my way back up the stairs, my cloth jacket slung over one arm.

"Hi!" Zeke calls, patting a spot next to him. They're all sitting in a circle, which for some reason reminds me of elementary school show and tell. I ignore him in favor of sitting next to Tobias, who gives me a warm smile.

"Hey!" Zeke frowns at me.

I roll my eyes. "Sorry, Ezekiel."

"I'M ZEKE!"

"Same difference." Zeke huffs. "We're just waiting on Shauna now."

I bite my lip, his reference reminding me of something. "Um, are you two all right?"

"What?"

"You and Shauna. During initiation, you both seemed a little... off." Immediately, I apologize. "You don't have to answer, sorry if I'm being rude."

Zeke shrugs. "It wasn't anything big. We just had a little fight and, um, kinda broke up."

I suck in a breath. Tobias leans forward. "Zeke, bro, are you all right?"

"Oh, yeah. We got back together yesterday." He grins at us. "We both understood that it was silly."

"Good." I grin, just as Shauna appears at the top of the staircase and heaves herself onto the rooftop. "HI GUYS!"

"HI SHAUNA!" Zeke answers, mimicking her excited tone. Shauna throws him a dirty look. "Shut up, Ezekiel."

"I'M ZEKE!" Zeke yells again with a groan. Shauna plops herself down next to him and gives him a peck on the cheek. "Okay, Ezekiel." I grin. Payback for last year.

"Okay, sorry to interrupt this drama, but we should start." Christina interjects, smiling.

"I GET TO START!" Zeke yells. Will rubs his ear. "Zeke, man, a little softer, please?"

"I get to start!" Zeke repeats, a little quieter. "Okay. Um." He scans the circle. "Oh! Okay. Marly, truth or dare?"

**By the way, credits to RCC2002 for my new nickname. I forgot to mention that last chapter. Ready… set… CUE APPLAUSE! *applause***

**Sooo, yeah. Remember to review: I hope you liked this chapter, and see you next time!**

**~DP4L!**


	39. Truth or Dare and New Love

**I'm back! My school took a week long field trip to Yosemite last week. No phones and laptops or any electronics! It was still amazing, though. But I kept thinking of my fanfiction and how I needed to update it – XD. But I hope you like this chapter ;D It's mostly just truth or dare. **

**Disclaimer: I am not the recipient of two Goodreads Choice Awards. Thus, I must not be Veronica Roth.**

* * *

"Truth." Marlene grins when Shauna pats her on the back. "You're learning! Everyone, remember to say Truth when either Zeke or Uriah ask you."  
"Um, what?" Uriah asks, offended. "Why?"

"You know why, idiot." I grin. Marlene smiles, but leans over to give Uriah a short kiss anyway. "You may be an idiot, but you're my idiot," She ruffles his hair and moves back to her spot. I beam, remembering how they got together a few months after my initiation. It was so cute when they admitted feelings for each other during a game of truth or dare beside the Chasm, before sharing their first kiss. But then Zeke ruined it, yelling "YEAH!" and raining muffins down on the couple. I grin at the memory. Eh. Life can't be perfect.

Zeke groans. "But guys, we only have like..." he trails off, muttering under his breath. "Me, Marly, Zeke, Four, Shauna, Tris, Will, Christina. EIGHT PEOPLE!" He finishes. "That's not a whole lot, you know. I deserve to give out eight dares. This comes up like once or twice a year. Please Marlene? Pick dare?" He asks, hands clasped together and making puppy dog eyes. His valiant effort was in vain, though, as Shauna leaps onto his chest and starts tickling him mercilessly.

"Wait, where's Lynn?" Will asks suddenly. "She should be here, shouldn't she?"

Shauna looks over from tickling Zeke. "Oh - she should be coming. She said she was coming back again from the fence for the initiation party when I last called her. She'll be here soon."

"Okay," Zeke sighs. "Truth. Um. Was Uri your first kiss?"

Marlene groans. "Um... does my mom count?"

"Nope," Zeke smirks wickedly. "So... was he?"

"Um..." Marlene coughs something into her sleeve unintelligibly. "Okay! Four, truth or dare?"

Zeke holds up a finger. "Marlene!" He says in a warning tone. "I couldn't quite catch that. Would you mind repeating it for me?" He asks sweetly.

"Zeke." Marlene growls. "Shut up."

Zeke makes a pouty face. "Marly, you said the S word! Now are you going to tell me or not?"

Marlene groans. "Yes," she answers fiercely, before following it up immediately. "OKAY, LET'S KEEP GOING AND NO COMMENTS FROM ANYONE! Four, truth or dare?"

Tobias has to hide a grin at her misfortune and answers "Truth".

"What's wrong with everyone today?" Uriah complains sadly. I grin. "Uri, you'll get your chance. Don't worry." He sulks.

"Okay. One of your fears?"

For a second, Tobias seems to debate pulling off his jacket, but then decides against it. "Confined spaces," he says, choosing the tamest one. He gives me a tight smile. "I'm going to need my clothes for later."

Marlene nods, satisfied. "I'll find out the other ones later," she grins. Tobias rolls his eyes. "Yeah, yeah."

"Sup," comes a voice from the other end of the rooftop. Our heads all swivel toward the ladder and we all grin. "LYNN!"

"Hey," Lynn grins, settling herself down next to Shauna. "You guys miss me?" She runs a hand through her hair, which she's - FINALLY - grown out into a short bob, after Shauna and Christina pleading with her to grow it out for months. It suits her face immensely, while keeping with the whole "Dauntless rocker chick" theme. She's gotten a new tattoo as well - a lavender flower winding around her right shoulder blade which she later tells me is a Donna Lynn Hibiscus.

"Eh..." Zeke grins, answering her earlier question. Lynn slaps him. "Be polite to your girlfriend's sister, Ezekiel."

"WHAT IS WRONG WITH THE WORLD?" Zeke wails, clutching Shauna. "I am not an Ezekiel!" He laments.

"Go blame mom for that," Uriah rolls his eyes. "Four! Go!"

Tobias grins. "Lynn, truth or dare?"

"Uh, dare. Duh."

"YES!" Uriah cheers.

"Huh?" Lynn looks confused.

"You're the first person to pick dare," Will enlightens her, grinning. Lynn stares at him in shock, then turns to us. "You're all a bunch of wimps."

"Um, objection!" Christina says, offended. "We haven't had our turns yet."

"Okay. Anyway," Tobias interjects. "Dare. Cinnamon challenge."

"WHAT?" Lynn screeches as we all burst into laughter, clapping her on. "That... that.. it's dangerous! What if I... like... die?"

"Psh, like eating a spoonful of ground cinnamon is going to make you die," Marlene grins. "But just in case, guys, I think I read somewhere you can get poisoned by it. Let's change it a little."

Tobias bites his lip, then slowly, his face spreads into an evil grin. "A spoonful of mustard, followed by a spoonful of mayo."

"OHHH!" Zeke yells. "Lynn? You gonna do it?"

Lynn sighs. "Fine."

"YES!" Zeke dashes down the ladder, and after a minute, pops back out onto the rooftop with a glass of water, two plastic spoons, a vivid yellow bottle and a jar of white pasty liquid.

"Which first?" Zeke asks.

"Mustard," Lynn says, grinning. Shauna nudges her and snickers slightly. Zeke cocks his head, but makes no comment and squirts the mustard into one of the spoons, creating a gooey yellow pile wobbling shakily on top of the spoon. "Bon appétit," Tobias inclines his head with a grin.

Lynn winks at Shauna before downing the whole spoon in a gulp. She sets down the spoon and grins at all of us, completely unaffected.

"What."

Lynn wipes her mouth off with the back of her sleeve. "Mustard isn't that bad, you know. It actually tastes pretty good."

Shauna nudges her. "Literally, Lynn is the only person I know who can do that."

"AND YOU DIDN'T TELL US? That's not fair!" Uriah cries. "WHAT THE FREAKING HE-"

Marlene gives him a warning look. "Uri!"

"HE...dgehog. Hedgehog." Uriah saves himself. Marlene stifles a snicker in response.

"What the freaking hedgehog?" I say slowly. "Congratulations, Uri. That's the new worst swear phrase I've ever heard."

Uriah waves her off indifferently.

"Of course it was fair!" Lynn rolls her eyes, before being interrupted by Zeke. "Yeah, yeah, guys. Anyway, we have one more. Mayo time!"

"Oh, crap." Lynn sighs.

An hour later, after an incident involving pickles, whipped cream, and a whole lot of maple syrup, we're all completely drenched and rolling around on the pickle splattered roof in fits of laughter. Um, we totally didn't have a pickle fight. Nope. Nuh-uh.

"Tris, your turn," Uriah chokes out between laughs. "Truth or dare?" I open my mouth to respond, but am interrupted by the sound of shuffling feet coming from the ladder. Holly heaves herself onto the rooftop and turns, recognition materializing in her eyes as she sees Tobias and I. "Four! Six!" She calls excitedly.

"Hey!" I call back, waving. "Watcha doin?" She asks casually.

"We're playing truth or dare," I respond, with a grin. Liam appears next to her and grins too. "Um, could we join?"

I cast a questioning look at Zeke, who nods. "Sure!" I smile. "Anyone else?" Holly peers down the ladder. "Um, Alex, Bryan, and Claire. Oh, David too. Can they play too?"

"Sure!" Uriah says, before running a hand through his hair. "All transfers," he mumbles. This earns him a punch from Christina. "Uri! They're Dauntless now!" He quickly beams. "Oh! Yeah! Yeah! Great job, guys!"

Christina sighs, shaking her head at his coverup. "Uri..." Then her face takes on a thoughtful expression. "I wonder where our initiates are?"

I pat her comfortingly. "Not here, which means they're not cool. But our initiates are here, which means that they are much cooler." Holly pats Christina. "Aww, Tris appreciates me. Doesn't she?" I roll my eyes nonchalantly.

Christina groans and sticks her tongue out at me. "Well, you guys are cool. But doesn't that mean our initiates are hot?" She winks. Will comes up and wraps his arms around her from behind. Christina takes a sharp intake of breath. "What was that?" Will asks, a little caution in his voice.

"Oh, nothing," Christina turns and gives him a kiss. "The usual hot and cold puns, you know. But you're much hotter than our initiates," Chris says affectionately. Will gives her a light kiss on her forehead, a smile tugging at his lips. "That's better."

Chris smiles. "ANYWAY-"

"Oh! I forgot introductions!" I interrupt her. "This is Alex and David, then there's Claire, Liam, and this is Holly." I wonder where Bryan is.  
"You expect me to remember that?" Zeke grouses. I give him a dirty look. "Don't pretend like you don't know them. You worked with them once, remember? You subbed for To-Four and I."

"Uh..." Zeke throws his hands up. "Fine! Well, I remember Liam." He grins at Liam. "Dude, we literally had the best day ever talking about paintball. This guy is like an expert on strategy! Whenever we play paintball next, he is going to be on my team." Liam flashes him a peace sign with a grin. "Where'd you learn that in Candor? Strategy is like an Erudite thing," Holly muses. "I should be the smart one here."

"Ah, but you're not." Liam waggles a finger at her.

Christina sighs. "Okay guys, okay. ANYWAY-" She stops and looks around suspiciously.

"What?" Marly asks.

"Nothing, I thought someone was gonna interrupt me. AGAIN." The cough she follows this statement up with sounds suspiciously like "Tris". Oh well. Must've been my imagination.

"ANYWAY, we should continue," Christina says hurriedly. She sighs after her statement is over. "Phew. I got to say something. But it's my turn," She grins. "Um. Um. Um. Claire, truth or dare?" She asks. Claire flashes her a grin. "Dare. We're Dauntless now, guys!" The initiates let out a round of whoops.

Christina looks thoughtful for a moment. She looks at me. "Proposal?" I nod, grinning. "It's a classic, but it always works."

"I dare you to propose to..." Christina looks at us questioningly.

"First guy you see. Eh, could be girl too," Lynn snickers deviously. Claire lets out a breath. "Okay, could be worse."

"GUYS, NOW WE HAVE TO MAKE IT WORSE!" Uriah says, wide-eyed. "Um..." He searches the rooftop and picks up a stray pickle, before pulling out the inside to make it a hollow circle. "Perfect. This will be the ring you're going to propose with. And then you have to kiss them."

"What."

"Well, you can always take off your shirt-" Alex begins. "I'll do it!" Claire interrupts him. She grabs the pickle from Uriah and stomps off to the ladder and begins descending. I laugh, getting up to follow her.

There's a yell of pain from the ladder. "OW!"

"Oh, shoot!" Comes Claire's voice. "Sorry, Bryan! Come up, come up, sorry!"

Claire appears onto the rooftop again, holding Bryan's arm. He grins at us. "Hey Four, Six. I was coming to find you guys and Alex and everyone before someone killed my face.

"I didn't kill it!" Claire says defensively. "I just stepped on it!"

"Like it makes a difference," Bryan gripes.

"OH!" Marlene says, suddenly. Everyone turns, surprised. "What?" Zeke asks.

"Bryan, right?" Marly asks. Bryan nods. "Yeah, I heard Claire. But Claire, he's the first guy you're seeing besides us. Doesn't that mean you have to do something?"

Claire stares daggers at her. "Don't you dare make me."

"You can always take off a piece of clothing," Holly hints again, and Claire throws up her hands. "The world is against me!"

"Claire, do it," Uriah grins. Zeke nods frantically. "Do it! Do it! Do it! Do it!"

"You do know you and Uriah are the only ones saying 'Do it'," right?" Claire asks.

"Yes, now DO IT!"

"FINE!" Claire says. She turns to Bryan and slowly, definitely unwillingly, drops down on one knee. Bryan looks at her, utterly confused.

"Bryan, um, what's your last name?"

"Huh?"

"Last name."

"Oakley."

"Bryan Oakley - ooh, do you have a middle name?"

"GET ON WITH IT ALREADY!" Zeke says impatiently.

"Tyler," Bryan grins. "But what is going on again?" We all ignore him and focus on Claire.

Claire sighs. "Okay. Bryan Tyler Oakley, you have been the love of my life forever... or at least since initiation started. You're funny, sweet, smart, and handsome." Her voice grows softer. "You're amazing. I can't think of anything else to say - sorry guys." Uriah groans. "YOU RUINED IT!"

She ignores him and continues. "Anyway, will you marry me?"

"What the hell." Bryan's eyes grow wide. And then Claire brings out the pickle ring and he stares at it uncomprehendingly, before bursting into laughter. "Oh god, truth or dare, right?"

"YES! He figured it out!" Claire pumps her fist in the air before throwing away the pickle. "The perfect combination of doing the dare and cheesiness so he would figure it out."

"Ugh." Lynn sighs. She brightens up again. "What about the kiss?"

"Kiss?" Suddenly, Claire withdraws again. "Do I have to?"

"Kiss?" Bryan asks. Yet again, he is ignored. Poor boy.

"Yes," Lynn says. Ever so slowly, Claire turns and steps forward. She moves closer and closer to Bryan. Her lips are half an inch away from his cheek, ready to give him a quick peck two inches or so below his eyes on his cheek, before he turns and the last moment and their lips touch.

It's like something goes off inside their heads or something. Instantly, they wind their arms around each other, smiling into their kiss, focused only on each other. Aww.

"What just happened?" Uriah asks, staring at the couple with his mouth dropped open.

"It was a dare. And Bryan reversed it beautifully on you." Christina is staring at Claire, shocked, before she whoops. "YEAH! CLAIR...yan? Clairyan? Braire? I need to work on this."

At the sound of Christina's voice, they break apart, still staring at each other, dazed. And as everyone breaks into cheers and whoops, clapping the still stunned Uriah and Lynn on their backs, I almost miss Bryan whispering to Claire "Will you be my girlfriend?" But I don't, and when I hug Claire, it's more heartfelt because of it. "Congratulations," I say warmly, hugging them both.

"Thank you," Claire says, one hand on her lips as if she still can't believe it.

Alex comes up and pulls Bryan into a hug. "Bry's got a girl!" He grins, ruffling Bryan's black hair. Bryan grins, clapping Alex on the back. "We need to find someone for you soon, dude."

Alex rolls his eyes before hugging Claire. "Congrats, Claire."

"Thanks," Claire gives him a warm smile.

Suddenly, a clock chimes twice. What? Two AM? Already? "It's 2 AM," I tell Tobias, and he frowns. "We should get going." Will nods, wrapping his arms around Christina, who lets out a yawn. "Yeah. See you guys tomorrow?"

"Sure. Good night!" I say, waving. "Oh, and Bryan? Claire?"

"Hmm?" They ask simultaneously.

"Sleep well," I give them a wink. It takes a few seconds for them to comprehend what I said but then Claire's expression turns incredulous. "EW! TRI-SIX!"

Tobias and I break into laughter as we descend down the ladder into the still-going party. I can still hear Bryan and Claire protesting up on the rooftop as everyone else laughs openly - not at them, but with them. As we leave the apartment, I catch sight of Matthew in a corner with two other guys. "Matthew!" I call. He turns, and spots Tobias and I. "Four! Six! I was going to find you!" He yells. "Meet you tomorrow morning in the Pit?"

"Yeah, sure! See you tomorrow!"

"Later!" Tobias calls, and we leave the apartment into the quiet of the halls. Our footsteps echo in the deserted hallways as we hold hands and walk back to our apartment, contented to just revel in the quiet after the wild night. Half an hour later, we're back in our apartment in bed, having showered together and brushed, before changing and cuddling up in bed. I can feel the fatigue creeping up on my body - the effects of staying up till almost 3 am getting to me. "Good night, Fourias," I yawn.

"What did you call me?"

"Tobias..."

"You said Fourias."

"But you're Fourias..."

"Tris, you're too tired to think straight. Go to sleep. I love you."

"Love you too," I mumble, falling asleep in the darkness and the comfort of his arms.

* * *

**Aww… Clairyan… I'm sorry if you wanted Claire to end up with Alex – I just had her planned to end up with Bryan… so… yeah. Don't worry, Alex will have someone soon… ;) And a bunch of you want Tris to become pregnant. All I can say is possibly, and eventually.**

**Anyway, hope you liked, thanks for reading, and remember to review with your thoughts! Happy reading!**

**~DP4L**


	40. Time To Work

**HOLA! Hi guys! CHAPTER 40! YAY! Oh, and first day of spring! Woo-hoo! Too many exclamation points! Nothing much to say, just hope you like the chapter :)**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Divergent. That says it fine.**

_(Tris POV)_

"Hi guys!" Mat slides in next to me on the bench, clutching a half-eaten banana chocolate chip muffin. "Ready for the big day ahead?"

"Don't remind me," I mumble, resting my head on my left hand. "Why are we even awake? It's like 5:30, and the dining hall's freaking deserted. You know why?" I lean forward, enunciating every syllable. "IT'S DARK OUTSIDE!" Seriously, it is. Not that you can tell, though - Dauntless has very few places inside where you can see the sun. There are a few glass hallways that betray the time of day, though.

"Tris, if you're going to be a Dauntless leader, you're going to have to get used to this," Tobias interjects, amused. "Down at the dining hall by 6 every morning. I think this morning is earlier because it's our first day... and I heard something - isn't there some kind of meeting?" He asks Mat, cocking his head.  
Mat nods approvingly. "Yes! Ahh... the joy of having an intelligent student."

"Excuse me?" I look at him disdainfully. "Show some respect to your leader."

"Yes, Ms. Six," Mat says morosely. I roll my eyes and get up to throw away the remainder of our breakfast, throwing a passing comment over my shoulder. "By the way, what meeting?" Mat nods and motions for me to come back. I toss the leftovers into the food waste bin and hurry back quickly. When I get back, it's clear that Mat and Tobias have been talking.

"Tris," Mat says, patting the spot beside him. I slide in and he begins. "So we've been planning our day. Through initiation, because you two were, of course, trainers, you couldn't officially start doing your jobs as the new Dauntless leaders. But now, since initiation's over, you're going to have to attend the leader meeting today."

"Leader meeting..." I trail off, looking at him expectantly. He doesn't disappoint. "Usually, the leader or leaders of each faction meet around once a month at Candor headquarters, basically just to discuss the state of the city, maybe uprisings, revolts, changes, and everything in between. Abnegation usually brings about six or seven people, even though it's a leaders meeting - them being in charge of the government and all that. But this meeting isn't one of the monthly ones. Initiation ended yesterday for all factions, so this is mainly conferring on how initiation went, the new factionless, plans for next year's initiation, and more. You'll still be discussing the topics I mentioned earlier though."

"When is it?" I ask. He frowns. "It starts at around 8, I think. You two are going to be expected to be there, but also with lists of your new Dauntless members - like, the initiates - and an overall count of how many Dauntless total."

"Okay," I say. "So, should we go to the office to get ready?"

"Yeah, sure," Tobias answers affirmative. "Mat?"

"Oh, yeah," Mat seems to be trying hard not to smile, but there's still the faintest shadow of a grin playing on his lips. "Lead the way."

As we walk out of the cafeteria, Mat now grinning like a Cheshire cat, I can't be silent any longer. "Is something wrong?" I ask Mat suspiciously. His eyes widen almost comically. "Oh, no! No! No, no, no, no, no! I, um... Nothing." He finishes weakly, offering me a smile. I shake my head and we all chat for a while longer as we walk towards the office. As we reach the familiar battered gray door, Tobias fumbles with his jacket to pull out the key, but Mat stops him. "We won't be needing the key any longer," Mat grins. "Four, Tris, would you mind putting your hands on the door? One hand, please."

Bewildered, we slowly press our hands against the door in compliance. He grins, and seems to be counting down or something. As he mouths "one", the door clicks and slides sideways into some crack in the wall without even a creak, unlike the rusty, squeaky door we encountered last time we were here. But the door isn't the only thing making my jaw drop.

It's the office.

The blinds hiding the giant glass window that looks out onto the Pit have been collapsed as we saw before, and a door has been revealed at the side of the window. This part doesn't surprise me, we've seen this before. But the office itself...

What we did last time is still there, though the piles and piles of desks, chairs, and other odds and ends on the other end of the room has disappeared. The collage of "Divergent" related documents is still pinned to the wall. The racks of guns are still there. The two desks still stand against the wall. But there are so many new touches. The flooring is now a clean, modern, polished black hardwood with a huge Dauntless seal emblazoned across the floor in the center of the room. The walls have been freshly painted a silvery gray; not quite the color of Abnegation, but more Dauntless than anything. The work area now has up to date computer monitors and an absolutely huge flat-screen TV that plays scenes of security footage from around Dauntless - just like the control room. The area where the odds and ends that were covered by the white tarp used to be is now a closed off room with a glass wall and glass doors set into it. Beyond the wall I can make out a long, cherry red oval table with high-backed black fabric chairs set all around it - the perfect meeting room.

"Oh my god." I can't think of anything else to say. This is absolutely amazing.

"You like it?" Mat inquires, grinning happily now.

Stunning. Absolutely, positively stunning. I voice exactly that. "Absolutely, positively stunning. LOVE IT!" I give him a friendly bear hug. Tobias is running his hand over the monitors. "How'd you do this?" He asks in wonder.

Matthew gives us a small smile. "Budget, money - remind me to go through that later. The government gives each faction an... 'allowance', if you will. Every six months. It's used on faction needs and emergencies - I pulled out a few of the allowances from a few years ago and got a few donations from Dauntless members... Voila." He grins. "There's even a waffle maker!"

"Okay," I sigh, but not able to keep the smile off of my face. "Should we get started?"

"Definitely." Tobias and Matthew say in unison.

Around two hours later, Tobias and I finally wrap up all the paperwork, organizing it into folders before finally leaving the office. Matthew left around five minutes ago promising to meet us at Candor. He apparently has to buy a birthday present for his girl HYPHEN friend. Not girlfriend. A friend that is a girl. He was very particular to us about the difference. Got it? Good.

The compound is finally waking up; black-clothed kids running up and down the hallway with excited squeals - followed by tired parents - usually energetic (after all, this is Dauntless), but they haven't had their coffee yet. Figures. Oh - that reminds me! I turn to Tobias. "Tobias, can I go get coffee?"

He lets out a long breath. "Is it life or death?"

"Mm-hmm."

"Fine." I'm already running as he calls "Meet me outside the Dauntless compound, okay? Tris?"

"OKAY!" I yell back, hoping he heard. I dodge kids and adults alike and burst into the dining hall, heading straight for the coffee machine. I hear "Tris!" and recognize the voice as Marlene... or it could possibly be Christina. I turn to look and see Christina sitting with Uriah and Will at our usual table and waving at me. "Can you come?"

"No, sorry," I call back with a shrug. "Four and I have to get to this leader meeting. And besides, we already ate. At 5 freaking 30."

Christina just looks at me, her jaw agape. "Guess what time I woke up at," she grins, bouncing up and down. "7:15! Oh yeah!"

I stick my tongue out at her and finish mixing my coffee, adding whipped cream and drizzling caramel on top before attaching the lid. "Bye Chris! See you later!" I call, weaving my way out of the dining hall, doing my best not to spill burning hot coffee all over my hand. It's sort of working. As I see Tobias sitting in the car and burst into a run towards him, something sloshes over the top of the cup and wets my hand. "Eek!" I yelp. My hand is on fire. Tobias grins and tosses me a paper towel, which I hurriedly use to mop up the spilt coffee. "Ow..." I say in a mournful tone. "Tobias, it hurts."

"You were running with coffee, Tris." Tobias shakes his head. "Come on, get in the car. Carefully."

I maneuver my way into shotgun. Before he starts the car, Tobias gives my wounded hand a light kiss. "All better now?"

"All better." I lean forward and give him a real kiss - just a quick peck before leaning back as he starts the car.

It's a short ride to Candor. Tobias has obviously been here before from the way he maneuvers the car through the streets without a GPS or even a map. He responds to my questioning look with a shrug. "Eric sent me out into the city a bunch of times, remember? I've driven to all the faction HQ's multiple times." He grins. "I'm so cool, right?"

I roll my eyes, choosing to ignore him and sip my coffee.

We pull in in front of Candor HQ - a tall, apparently 18 story building nicknamed the "Merciless Mart". An attendant escorts us inside and into the elevator, not saying anything. On the fifth floor, he leads us out and into a large, sunny, circular room with windows looking out onto the Candor compound and a circular hardwood table that is adorned with metal chairs. I link hands with Tobias, wanting to feel some of his warm reassurance in a place that's so cold and lacks the overall playful nature you get in Dauntless.

I scan the room. I can't find Matthew anywhere, so I assume he's not here. I spot Jeanine, conversing with a man in a black suit and tie with a crisp white shirt. From Amity, Johanna Reyes, is reading some kind of booklet aloud to an Amity man who scribbles something in a notepad. There's a small group of gray clothed men and women on the right, seeming to be in deep discussion. One of them turns as the door clicks back into place - probably to see who's just arrived - us. I look back at him, wondering if I would be able to recognize him based on my sixteen years in Abnegation. I mentally run through the list of government officials I'm aware of. He seems around his mid-forties. Obviously, gray clothes. Brown hair. Grayish eyes. And then he turns completely and it's like something's rooting me to the spot. I look into the face of the man who raised me for sixteen years.

"Dad," I whisper under my breath, as he stares at me for a moment before recognition fades into his eyes. "Beatrice..."

A clean-shaven man with streaks of gray in his hair and a square jaw puts a hand on his shoulder, before fixing his gaze on me as well. And as recognition floods through my body, my nervousness is replaced with a cold, hard fury, that sets every single cell in my body on fire with anger and rage. Tobias stiffens too, cold and rigid as he meets the eyes of his childhood nemesis.

_Marcus._

**Hope you liked it :P Please, please review! I absolutely love reading all the comments and reviews everyone leaves on my story. Also, a big shoutout to all my readers. Have fun and see you next time!**

**~DP4L**


	41. Meeting and Marcus

**YAY FOR THE POST! Sorry :P I feel really bad because you guys continuously blow me away with your amazingness and wonderful reviews. I've made it longer this time, just for you... Yeah...**

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As the meeting begins, I can't help but sneak glances toward Marcus now and then. I think of the scars on Tobias' back - scars that will never fade - scars that are an everlasting mark of the abuse he suffered as a child. And it just fills me with boiling rage. Tobias grips my hand tightly; so hard it's starting to become numb, but I don't care and I hold his hand just as tightly. It's going to be difficult to get Tobias to sit through this meeting without standing up and screaming at a certain Abnegation official. No... it's going to be difficult for _me_. Matthew, who arrived a minute or so ago, has got to have noticed the glares we're sending in Marcus' direction. Thankfully, he doesn't ask.

Marcus doesn't acknowledge Tobias or I. He sits in his chair, rigid, fists clenched on the table. He knows we're here. Definitely. He's just not acknowledging us in any way. And it makes me furious.

Tobias squeezes my hand as an Asian man in Candor clothing gets up to officially begin the meeting. "It's okay," He mumbles, and I immediately feel horrible. I should be the one comforting him. I squeeze his hand and give him a reassuring smile. "You'll be fine, okay?"

"Okay," He grins. We all take seats around the table according to the color of fabric they draped over the chairs. We take the black seats - Abnegation is to our immediate right. On our other side is Candor.

"So, let's get started," the man says, smiling widely. "As most of you know, my name is Jack Kang, and I'm a newly appointed leader of Candor. Welcome back, everyone, and let's give a warm welcome to our new pair of Dauntless leaders - Four and Tris!"

Marcus' eyes flash when Jack says "Four", but he puts on a rather forced smile. My dad smiles openly at me, applauding softly. Matthew nudges me towards Jeanine. She seems more happy than she should be at hearing of our appointment - considering she knew already.

"See? She's already trying to get you on her side. She knows she needs Dauntless to root out the Divergent," Matthew whispers.

Unwary of the tension in the room, Jack leans across the table to shake Tobias' hand and then mine. "Nice to meet you."

"You as well," I answer.

Jack nods. "Four, Tris, would you like to quickly fill us in on what happened to Max and Eric?"

Tobias takes this one. "Eric was arrested for attempted murder or assassination, and made factionless. Max resigned suddenly - we don't know if it was his choice or not," He adds. Jeanine's eyes gleam with sudden interest. She leans forward, appearing to ask casually: "What's this about it not being his choice? Are you telling us Dauntless leaders subject to blackmail?"

_Oh, I hate her._ I comfort myself with knowing that with the evidence we're collecting, she's going to end up in jail pretty soon. But then, I remember - Jeanine thinks we're on her side. We might've just compromised her thoughts. As Tobias turns to answer Jeanine, I'm crossing my fingers, hoping he says the right thing to calm her down. "Of course not." Tobias begins. "It's the matter of his resignation. It happened suddenly - well, suddenly enough for us to take notice. It was surprising. So, it's possible that there might've been something that drove his resignation beyond merely age or retirement. Of course, it might've just been spontaneous as well," he adds at the end - most likely to soften the blow. I hope what he said is enough to soothe Jeanine.

Jeanine just nods, her eyes still icy. She turns to converse quietly with the Erudite representatives sitting next to her. As if sensing the tension that's beginning to fill the room, Jack stands up quickly. "Okay, now that that's covered, let's move onto initiation reports first. Abnegation?"

Marcus stands up, ignoring the death glares I send his way. Hopefully no one is watching me or I might be the next one to be accused of attempted murder.

"We've had 6 initiates this year, all accepted, of course," Marcus begins. "Three transfers, three Abnegation born. Initiation went smoothly as always. One of our initiates went into government training as well, so I expect we'll be seeing him here in a few years." Marcus smiles.

"Excellent. Erudite?" Jack asks.

We continue in this fashion through Erudite, Amity, and Candor, all of whom have similar reports. When it's our turn, Tobias stands up and delivers a simple report of factionless initiates and the initiates that remained, as well as the initiate count. I notice that he brushes over the change in fear simulations and doesn't embellish. It's over soon and I'm grateful as he sits down and squeezes my hand. We've both come to the same conclusion - we can't risk angering Jeanine. We need her to trust us with information.

"Okay, now that that's done," Jack says brightly. "Any Divergents, anyone?" The room falls silent in less than a second. I freeze as my blood suddenly runs cold. I can't help but think that someone _knows_ \- they _know _we're Divergents... they're coming to get us... an overpowering sense of fear and dread suddenly rises up in my body. Something nudges my right hand, and I turn to see Matthew, who presses a scrap of paper into my lap. I do my best to read the hastily scrawled words as unobtrusively as possible.

_DON'T SAY ANYTHING_

_LEMME SEE UR BEST POKER FACE_

_-Matthew_

I have to tug back the smile that threatens to appear as I give him the slightest nod. I press the note into Tobias' lap and do my best to appear calm and collected. What were the signs for lying smoothly again? I chance a glance at Tobias, who looks the same as always when he's in front of these kinds of people - expressionless. I have no idea how he does it. We've got a freaking magician here, people.

Jack scans the room. I knock a pencil off the table and manage an apologetic smile as I slide down under after it. But when I come back, his eyes are just sweeping the Dauntless section. "Darn," I mutter.

Tobias cracks a slight smile. "Well, I'm sorry for my amateur swearing," I whisper harshly. Jack, unfortunately, picks up on it. "Tris? Something to say?"

"No, um... no."

"Ok."

Johanna Reyes raises her hand uncomfortably. "Yes?" Jeanine asks this time.

"We've identified a Divergent in our community."

This causes an uproar like no other. People are leaning toward Johanna, shouting and pounding on the table. I stand up this time, unable to stand the screeches and shouts. "QUIET!"

It reverberates around the room. Slowly, little by little, the noise dies down and all the faction representatives sit down. "Now, one at a time," I enunciate slowly. I feel like I'm talking to a bunch of kindergartners who all want the same toy. "Okay." I point at one of the Candor representatives. "Go."

"The last time we had a Divergent identified, we had a mass panic! I know she's being tested at Erudite right now, but she still caused a panic. She resisted the emergency control serum! That means they can resist things far worse. Who knows what could happen now?"

I shouldn't reply. I shouldn't. I can't compromise our standing with Jeanine. But I can't stop myself. "Can I say something?" I ask quickly, directing it toward Jeanine. She stares at me. Okay. I'll take that as a yes.

"We can't identify Divergents," I begin. "Unless I've been told wrong, the only way they're different from everyone else, is that they can resist simulations and serums and thus they get more than one faction on the aptitude test. Our society, like it or not, is susceptible to dishonesty, lies, threats, and traits like that. There could be people in our city keeping secrets for others - who know that others are Divergent. It's... I can imagine that it would be very easy for a Divergent to blend in with their peers. By following the rules in a simulation, they would, technically, blend in. So we've identified one. Whatever. They don't hurt us, do they? So there could be any amount in each faction. We just don't know."

Silence. For a moment I actually believe that my message has gotten through. Then the uproar begins again. Arguments, debates, shouts of anger and fear. I sigh, frustrated and filled with exasperation. The only way these people will understand that Divergents don't pose a threat is through solid fact. Evidence. And I comfort myself, knowing that we're gathering that

Tobias stands up and squeezes my hand, smiling happily. "Tris, that was amazing," he whispers. "Thanks," I press a light kiss to his cheek. "But we've got to stop this, Tobias."

"I know," he whispers back.

Finally, Jack gets the room quieted down. After finding out the Amity's Divergent is named Maddie Ziegler and Jeanine then promises to investigate, the meeting ends. Jack reminds everyone that the next one is next week on December 14th, as this one was only for initiation updates.

As the meeting ends and everyone starts to file out of the room, Mat grabs my arm. "Tris! We had to talk to your dad, remember? About Jeanine? Should we ask him if we can do it now?"

"Um, yeah," I nod vigorously. After witnessing how people reacted during the meeting, I have got to fix this misconception. Divergents are not a threat. And people need to know. "You think he can help?"

"According to many people, they were very close before he transferred. It's more than likely he can help," Matthew grins. "Come on."

The Abnegation party is waiting by the doors, holding the them open and offering slight smiles to the other factions who walk by, indifferent. Finally, Dauntless and Abnegation are the only two factions left in the room. "You wanna go?" Tobias asks softly. "Yeah," I nod. I take a deep breath, stalling for time. "Okay."

I walk up to my father.

He's holding the door open along with everyone else, his head bowed. I touch his shoulder, waiting for him to turn. And he does. A smile.

"Beatrice..."

"Dad." I repeat to myself over and over again: _Abnegation disapprove of physical contact. No physical contact. No-_

I wrap him in a hug, burying my face in his jacket. At first uncertainly, but gaining confidence, he hugs me back, holding me against him in fatherly affection. "How have you been?"

"How about you?"

"Beatrice."

"Yeah, yeah, fine. I'm good." I grin at him. "Can Tobias and I talk to you?"

Marcus, only a few feet away from us, jerks up his head at the mention of "Tobias". He turns to face me and opens his mouth. I stare daggers at him. "Would you mind if I talked to-"

"No," I say, cutting him off. My dad takes a sharp intake of breath. "Beatrice! Don't-" I can't take this anymore.

"Dad, the rumors are not rumors. They're completely true. This man... no... creature, abused Tobias for years both physically and emotionally. It's a disgusting thing to do."

"Bea-"

"What?!" Marcus splutters, pointing a finger at me. "She's LYING!"

"I am not-"

"Andrew, believe me," Marcus interrupts. "You've known me for years! Would I ever do such a thing?"

"YOU ARE-" I begin, but Marcus cuts me off. "YOU ARE A DIRTY LIAR!" And finally, my dad steps in front of me, his eyes flashing dangerously. "You do _not_ call my daughter a liar!

In a flash, Tobias is beside me too. "Yeah."

Aww, I feel left out. "Yeah," I add, a few seconds too late.

Tobias pauses and grins at me. "Tris, leave this to the adults."

"Excuse me?" I raise an eyebrow. His face hard once more, Tobias turns back to Marcus. "Do not insult Tris, or it'll be the last thing you ever do. She is ten times better than you'll ever be, old man." He curls his hands into fists and his eyes flash murderously.

I grin. "Aww. You're being all protective." Tobias sticks his tongue out at me.

"TOBIAS!" For a moment, I had forgotten Marcus was here. His graying hair hangs lank and dirty, but his eyes are filled with a fury. "YOU DO NOT SPEAK TO YOUR FATHER THAT WAY!" And then his hand flies up to loosen his belt.

It's only a second long - the movement of his hand loosening the belt, but then he suddenly remembers where he is and lets his hand drop to his side. But we all have caught the movement My dad cocks his head. "Marcus?"

Tobias steps forward and he tugs his shirt upward, pulling it off in a fluid movement. His tattoos are in full view. They partially obscure the scars, but not enough. We all see the lines - the deep scars etched into his skin. Only years of cuts and abuse reopening those cuts can lead to scars like that. I hear Matthew catch his breath too, a muffled gasp escaping his lips. Slowly, my father's expression morphs into one of pure rage. It's rare that I see my father angry like this. Abnegation are used to hiding their emotions. But today... there is no hiding from the anger that dominates his features.

"Eaton, get out of here. I've always respected you and stood up for you against the rumors. But today, I'm ashamed to even look at you. You're disgusting - only filthy, terrible people abuse children. Get out of here before I make you leave myself." The words are harsh, venom in every syllable. For a second, Marcus shrinks back, before stepping up to defend himself. "You think you can talk to me like that? He's MY SON! I will always control him and there's NOTHING YOU CAN DO ABOUT-"

_Crack._

Oww.

A flash of pain shoots through my hand and I massage my knuckles as Marcus' hand touches his nose in disbelief. The blood starts to flow almost immediately, trickling out of his nose and running down his mouth. His face is deathly white - pale and stark. His nose has already started swelling; it's beginning to look slightly crooked. Marcus wears a look of disbelief. He opens his mouth to whisper, "How dare-"

"GET OUT." My father cuts him off.

Marcus sends a death glare towards Tobias and I. He seems about to say something, before shaking his head and ducking out the door quickly.

I sigh. My dad runs a hand through his hair, his face suddenly tired and weary. "Marcus...I..." He trails off and doesn't say anything for a few minutes. I venture a question. "Dad... we, um, wanted to ask you some questions about your childhood in Erudite and growing up with Jeanine. Will you answer them?"

"What kind of questions?"

"Mostly about Jeanine, I guess. Would you mind?"

"No, I suppose not. Will it be quick?"

"I think so."

"Very well." He gives me a sad smile before wrapping me a in a warm hug. Surprised by the physical affection, but happy nonetheless, I bury myself against him once again. "I love you, Beatrice," he whispers. After a few seconds, he looks up. "Tobias!"

"Hmm?" Tobias looks up. My dad motions him over. "Come here."

Tobias comes toward us, his expression slightly nervous with a little bit of apprehension. "Yes, Mr. Prior?"

"Come here." And my dad, still with an arm around me, claps Tobias on the back in their "manly" way. "You take care of Beatrice, understand? And invite us to the wedding."

"Um, yes, yes, sir. Wait..."

"Yes?"

"Um, sir, if you don't mind me asking... how did you know?"

"That ring on my Beatrice's finger is as obvious as anything, son." Tobias' eyes widen and he seems to be thinking furiously as to what to say. As if to reassure him, Dad continues. "Keep her safe, and Natalie and I have no problem with it. Just make sure to invite us." The look of relief now displayed by my fiancee is almost comical.

"Will do." My dad, finally, looks at Matthew and nods. "Take care of both my children, will you?

"Yes, sir," Mat says, grinning. Tobias' beam increases by huge proportions when my dad says "both my children". Aww.

"So, should we get on with it?" Mat asks.

"Yes. Let's get started." I give him my best evil grin.

**Some Daddy/Tobias/Tris :P I'm just a sucker for these types of things. WELL, I UPDATED! And if I take such a long time to update again, you guys be sure to tell me, okay? Well, of course, I can't promise. But I will do my absolute BEST! I GIVE YOU THE DP4L PROMISE SWEAR THINGAMAJIG! Mmhmm. Yup. Okay. See you guys later :D**

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**Okay I'm done, bye. XD**

**~DP4L**


	42. Interrogations and Shocks

**This chapter is longer :D Hope you like it!**

**Disclaimer: Still don't own Divergent. Nope nope nopedy nope. Nope. (That last one was just for good measure.)**

"Is your full name Andrew Prior?" Mat asks, producing a notepad and pen seemingly from nowhere.

"Andrew Prior, yes." My dad nods.

"Okay." Mat continues, businesslike. "You transferred from Erudite to Abnegation when you were sixteen, right? And you were friends with Jeanine?"

After a short pause, he answers "Yeah. I... um... grew up with Jeanine. Our parents worked together when we were young so that resulted in a whole lot of dinners and days spent together. We were as close of friends as you can get in Erudite, I suppose." He shrugs, the words coming more quickly as he recalls his childhood days. My dad's face grows wistful. "As a child, we were supposed to focus on our studies. We were Erudite, after all. Friendships led you away from being the best person you could be, intellectually. Many Erudite teens, after a life of studying, stay in Erudite. It's habit. We had no intention of going anywhere else. So we planned for a life spent there. We had big plans, dreams of becoming co-leaders and making our system better. Jean always had this thing about perfection. We wanted to make our society a better place. So when that lesson about Divergent came along, she told me that that was what she wanted to do. That would be her big contribution to society. We would become co-leaders, get rid of the Divergent, and then our names would be remembered forever." He draws in one long, shuddering breath, and I am filled with guilt. I study his expression, and suddenly notice gray streaks in his hair and realize that his face isn't as lively as it once was. My heart clenches as I look at him, trying to be strong for me, and can't help but hug him once more. I draw away and put a hand on his shoulder, comforting him, and he gives me a shaky smile.

"You can stop if you'd like," I whisper softly. Mat and Tobias both nod in assent, but my dad shakes his head. "No... you need to know," he says under his breath. "I'm sorry," I murmur.

"It's okay, Bea. I'm fine." He smiles warmly, before continuing. "But soon, it started to feel... constricting. We spent all our free time working on our plans for eradicating the Divergent. I know, I'm ashamed of it now." He bows his head. "Jeanine found her first Divergent at age 15."

I suck in a breath. He continues, not stopping. "We had been working on it since we were 12, our heads filled with delusions of grandeur and fame. We studied the signs over and over again. We snuck into the room where they administer aptitude tests. And we discovered a Divergent." He pauses for a split second, his expression one of sorrow. "She was Candor, and the test showed that she was Divergent. The test administrator who took her test told her to run back home, and he erased the results of the system. But Jeanine was determined to go tell the Erudite leader anyway. She thought this would be as stepping stone for us. I was against it. I kept telling her it wouldn't end in anything good. I looked up records... that girl had been a perfectly normal student all her life. But Jeanine told the Erudite leader anyway, and he rewarded her with an apprenticeship at the labs. The girl wasn't present for the Choosing Ceremony the next day."

I really need to sneeze. Okay, I'm sorry - insensitive, I know. I muffle the urge, digging my face into my sleeve.

A long silence draws out. "Would it be okay if I took note of that?" Mat asks hesitantly. "The part about the girl being a normal person all her life."

"Yeah, go ahead," my dad replies. He elaborates for Matthew. "Her name was Tamsin. Tamsin Tai. And I looked it up - she was about as normal as you can get. Good grades, occasional missteps but an average student. No evidence of child abuse or problems. Her parents gave a testimony - they said good night to her the night before the Choosing Ceremony. Jeanine had already told our leader. The next day, they woke up to find her gone, her bed perfectly made and nothing out of place. Her life was ripped away from her. And it was partially my fault."

My heart clenches. I imagine this girl who lived a decade and a half ago; who had her life extinguished because of something she couldn't even control. And I suddenly feel sick inside, knowing that this experimenting and death is what could happen to me... to Tobias, Liam, even Holly. My mother. The woman Tobias and I saw in the Erudite labs. Maddie Ziegler, this newly identified Amity Divergent. Everyone like us. My stomach rolls and I bend over, my chest constricting. It's suddenly hard to breathe and I gulp frantic gasps of air as my chests heaves up and down. I hear the grating sound of a chair being pushed back and hurried footsteps start towards me. Tobias.

"TRIS!" Tobias shakes my shoulders, panic-stricken. "TRIS! Are you okay?" He turns to my dad and Mat. "I'm taking her outside, okay?"

"Yeah, yeah. She doesn't look too good."

I try to force out an "I'm fine", but my stomach rolls and I think better of it, clenching my eyes shut. I hear my dad's voice. "Son, just take her back to Dauntless. I'll finish up with this young man here. Take care of her."

"Are you sure?" Tobias asks. He must have received some kind of affirmation, because he loops an arm around me, supporting me. "Don't worry, you'll be fine," he says, but I can hear the worry in his voice. I choke out "I'll see you soon, Dad" as we leave the room, trying to convey everything I can't say wordlessly. He smiles at me comfortingly, his eyes warm. I close my eyes, just picturing the image of my father as we leave the Candor compound and hurry to the car. Tobias helps me in and starts the car. In no time, we're back at the Dauntless compound.

"Tris! Four!" Comes a call, as we round the corner of a hallway. Christina approaches us, grinning. "I haven't seen you all day!" Her smile fades to a frown as she takes in my condition. "Oh my god, Tris, are you okay? Wait, you're definitely not okay. Tell me what happened!" She demands, though her expression is concerned.

Tobias answers for me. "At the meeting, we were talking about... um... something not very good and she just turned like this sickly green color. And she started hyperventilating. I really don't know what happened."

Chris' voice turns official. "Okay, we need to get her to a bed. Your apartment? It's closest. I'll scan her then." Oh yeah, I forgot to mention. Chris works at the mall, but she also works a part-time job at the hospital as a nurse. She works alongside Marlene, though it's a lot easier to imagine Marly as a nurse. Chris... well, you know what I mean.

"Yeah. Let's go." Tobias says. Suddenly, I feel myself being lifted up - one arm tucked under my neck and one under my knees. I think this is what's called "bridal-style". Tobias grunts with effort. "Jeez, Tris, how much do you weigh?"

Despite feeling terrible, I manage a slight smile. This seems to energize him as he grins at me. "Just kidding, you're the lightest person ever." Suddenly, a flash of pain shoots through my head. I wince in pain. Noticing my grimace, Tobias starts jogging. "Don't worry," he reassures, speaking as calmly as he can. "Chris'll fix you up in no time."

Tobias sets me down at the door of the apartment and fumbles with the keys, inserting them quickly and twisting. As fast as he is able to get the door open, that's nothing compared to the speed with which he gets me on the bed and turns me over to Chris. I don't like feeling like this - like I can't do anything. But right now, I just ache to lie down and close my eyes. And do just that. However, as soon as I lie down, I can tell it was a bad idea. I don't have the strength to open my eyes again. The soft tendrils of sleep tug at my body, and I fade off to sleep.

"Tris. Tris."

Something prods my arm.

"Tris."

"Mmm..." I roll over.

"Tris. It's Tobias."

"Toby?" I ask, eyelids fluttering with the air of someone who's just woken up. "What... what's wrong?"

"Nothing. Chris just said don't let you sleep for too long or you won't be able to sleep it off tonight."

"Chris?" I asks. My mind is blissfully foggy. "Who's Chris?"

There's a pause.

"Christina. Your best friend."

"Mmm..." I smack my lips and burrow down into the comforter, still unwilling to think.

"Chriwina. Who's Chriwina?" I murmur.

A blast of cold air. "AHH!" I yelp, curling into the fetal position. "I NEED MY BLANKET BACK, THANK YOU VERY MUCH!"

"Mmhmm, nope. Get up, little Tris." I make a noise of protest. "Fine, just sit up then." He tosses the blanket back on me. Grinning, I try to pull myself up to a sitting position, when suddenly my arms give out from my weight and I collapse onto the bed. "Tris! Are you okay!" Comes Tobias' anxious voice. I refuse his offer of help, and, gritting my teeth, push myself up. When I'm finally confident that I'm in a sitting position that I can maintain, I give Tobias a triumphant grin and cocoon myself in the comforter, wrapping it around me. He shakes his head, a proud expression on his face.

My feet are freezing. Wait, they AREN'T COVERED! I nestle them back into the blanket, giving a sigh of contentment. Tobias is watching me intently, amused. "You ready to hear what happened to you?" He asks finally.

Oh, right. That must be why I had trouble getting up. I suddenly remember the flashes of pain, dry throat, rolling stomach... I run my hand up and down my arm and shiver almost unconsciously. Now that we're discussing the events of earlier, the mood has drifted into a more serious atmosphere. "What happened?" I ask quietly, realizing that none of the things that happened to me before are happening now.

"Part of it the problem was stress," Tobias says. "It made your condition worse. I think it's from the notion we've built up that we are the only hope of all the Divergents in our city. And of course, that's partially true. But I'm really sorry, Tris. Maybe this is too much for-"

"No," I cut him off. "No, you are not excluding me from ANYTHING. Anything that happens, I want to know about it. I want to help. I have to do something. I..." I bury my face in the blanket, needing some kind of reassurance and hating myself at the same time for appearing weak. But when Tobias' arms encircle me, I lean into them, content to just sit there. After a few moments, he continues. "It's nothing - just that you're sick, Tris." He continues hurriedly. "Don't worry, nothing major. But you have a light fever and you're really dehydrated - so Mat gave us the rest of the day off." He gives me a humorous grin, but follows it up with a look of concern. "Headaches and nausea... Why didn't you say anything?"

"I never realized," I answer honestly. "It was only during the meeting - like when I felt as if I was going to black out."

"Okay," Tobias ruffles my hair with a tender smile. "Anyway, we have the rest of the day off..." He continues speaking but my mind has wandered off as I suddenly reach a new possibility.

"Tobias... could I - could I be pregnant?" My voice wavers slightly at the end.

His eyes widen, before he seems to suddenly remember something and falters slightly. "Oh, I forgot. Chris, um, gave you a pregnancy test to try out. It's in the bathroom. Are you feeling okay? Do you want to go, um... try it?"

"Yeah," I whisper. The look on his face displaying pure anxiety, Tobias hoists me up and carries me, bridal-style, to the bathroom. "Good luck," he whispers as I slip behind the bathroom door. I don't know whether he's wishing for a positive or negative result. I don't know whether _I'm _wishing for a positive or negative result.

Ten minutes later, Tobias and I are sitting on the bed, staring at the little plastic stick. Not knowing what to say or do. Our eyes are fixed on the little stick that has one thin red line across the end.

"Negative," Tobias finally utters. I let out the breath I didn't know I had been holding. "Negative," I repeat, still staring at the stick. A wave of relief washes over me. _I'm not pregnant._ But deep within me, there's also a little feeling of loss; a small pang of disappointment that I'm not pregnant. _Did I want this?_ I'm so unsure. But turning my gaze to Tobias, there's a question I have to ask.

"Tobias?"

"Mmm?"

"Um, supposing that I had been pregnant... would you have wanted to keep it?"

Silence.

Tobias runs a hand through his hair, his face exhibiting conflicted emotions. He lets out an aggravated sigh. "Tris... what do you want me to say? Of course I want it, it's our baby, Tris. Our child. But I can't help thinking... Marcus..." He trails off, looking at me helplessly and watching as I slowly understand the unspoken meaning of those words. Okay, it's up to me.

"Tobias, believe me when I say you are nothing like Marcus," I say pleadingly. "You're gentle. Sweet. And if we ever do have a baby, then..." I shake my head with a shrug. "You will be the absolute best father ever." Tobias cringes at the mention of "father", and I place a hand on his shoulder. "Toby, the word 'father' doesn't have to mean something bad. Granted, it wasn't the best with you. But I have you have every confidence you will be an amazing father. If we ever do have a child, you're going to spoil him or her rotten." Tobias allows himself a small smile. "I have every confidence you'll be a wonderful parent. I love you." I reach up and give him a light kiss.

"Thank you," he whispers. "Maybe we can get started on that baby right now," he flashes me a teasing grin.

I try to push him away with an over exaggerated sigh, but it has no effect as he keeps he always this close to me? Our faces are but a few inches away from each other - desire and love in our eyes. And then we're kissing. This is no sweet, light peck. There's passion in every touch - electricity in every embrace. The warmth of his mouth sends a current running through my body, as if I'm on fire. No, more than that. Suddenly, every particle in my body tingles as his fingers flick across the inside of my thigh, moving up inch by inch. I'm trying to force myself to stay quiet and appear nonchalant, but I involuntarily let out a moan when his fingers curl around my thigh. He slowly moves upward, leaving a trail of blazing fire behind him, until he's scrabbling at the edge of my shirt, pushing it up inch by inch. And I let him, too far gone to care. Our lips are hungry and insistent. I love these moments just as much as the sweet ones - when we can love each other without having to be afraid of pushing the other too far. My shirt is riding above my stomach and I wrap my legs around him to kiss him further when the phone rings, blasting music throughout the apartment.

_Midnight, you come and pick me up _

_No headlights_

"Ignore it," Tobias murmurs. "It's probably not urgent anyway." But his advice proves to be futile when the phone stops ringing, and a voicemail blasts through the room. "TRIS! TRIS! TRIS! ARE YOU THERE? BECAUSE, LIKE, I REALLY REALLY REALLY NEED YOU TO ANSWER LIKE RIGHT NOW!"

"Christina," I groan, swinging my legs out of bed onto the floor. "She has seriously bad timing." I pad across the floor to the phone and lift it to my ear. "What?"

"TRIS! You didn't pick up!"

"Sorry. What?"

"Would it be okay, if... um..." Her hesitant voice begins.

"Yeah?"

"Wemoveddourdoubleweddingtointhreeweeks?" She says quickly. I shake my head, not having heard. "Christina, can you say that again?"

"Can we move our double wedding to within the next three weeks?"

What. This brings me up short. "WHAT? Wait... you mean getting married in the next three weeks?"

"Um, yeah." My head is spinning and I take a slightly unsteady step back. I hear Tobias call "Tris? What's wrong?" But I ignore him and focus on the call. I need to know why. "Why?" I ask.

"Well, um, we're having the wedding early because... um, Will and I are adopting a kid."

What. The. Hell.

**Thanks for reading! First of all... okay, wait, I forgot what I was going to say. Haha - I'm listening to Dear Future Husband by Meghan Trainor. Okay, now Elastic Heart by Sia is playing. XD - OH - I REMEMBER! So first, I'M REALLY SORRY FOR THE CLIFFHANGER - literally cutting it off anywhere made it sound so awkward. Well, this ending is awkward too, but not as much as the other ones. I promise I'll try harder to cut down on the cliffhangers ;) Anyway, I had a little bit of romance in there for ChefstheBest (*wink wink* right back atcha), but it had to get cut off because of the phone call. Sorry :( Also, I know so many people wanted her to get pregnant, and I'm sorry about that too :( All I can say is, all in good time ;) Um... anything else... OH YEAH!**

**THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU FOR THE AMAZING REVIEWS! All of my fabulous reviewers for last chapter: ChrislynRaven, Shizu Uchiha, PMakepeace98, Fanfictionlover12k, ChefstheBest, RCC2002, and all of my amazing guest reviewers, including Holly and Eric Shan. You guys are all amazing :D Also thank you to all of my followers and favoriters! And a big shoutout/thank you to all of my readers. I love you I love you I love you I love you I love you. All right, I'm signing off now. See you next time! :D**

**As always,**

**~DP4L**


	43. Explanations and Fights

**The song Human by Christina Perri is amazing for this chapter. It's such an emotional song. I love it. And I apologize in advance for events that will happen during this chapter that I know you're absolutely going to destroy me for :( I'm so sorry :( Okay. But first, wait, sound check. Testing... testing.. 1, 2, 3... you're reading this, right? Okay. Go open YouTube, and type in Human by Christina Perri. Click it. Okay? Done? You can go read now. By the way, to all you lovelies out there, thanks for the amazing response I keep getting for my little story. I LOVE YOU SO MUCH FOR READING MY STORY *throws arms around you (yes you, reading this right now :D)***

**Disclaimer: Thanks for all the reviews! :D And I'm definitely not Veronica Roth. Which means I definitely don't own Divergent. Which means... yeah you get the point.**

"YOU'RE ADOPTING A KID?" I yell into the phone so loudly I bet she cringes on the other side. "ARE YOU JOKING? WE'RE 18!"

"I'll can explain-"

"Fine," I sigh, cutting her off. I know it's rude, but my mind is in such a mess of thoughts right now that I can't focus on anything. "I don't think this is a conversation we should be having over the phone. I'll be there in five minutes." I'm about to hang up when Christina's soft voice echoes through the phone once more.

"I'm so sorry, Tris." Her voice is gentle, understanding. "I'll see you in a few minutes." The line goes dull.

Almost in a daze, I set the phone down and walk over to the bed, plopping myself down next to Tobias. For a few seconds, I just stare at the ground, saying nothing. But then, his soft hand covers mine and I just know that everything is going to be okay. "What happened?" He murmurs.

I just shake my head, gripping his hand tighter. "Christina wanted to move up our double wedding."

"What?" His voice takes on an odd tone. "Why?"

I run a hand through my hair. "She and Will... they're adopting a kid." I can read Tobias' emotions as well as if I was part of him. He's surprised, but he doesn't say anything, just waiting for me to continue. "I'm going to meet Chris at her apartment in a minute. Can... will you come with me?"

"Of course." He gives me a soft smile. "Let's go."

Thirty seconds later, we're down the hall and knocking on Christina's door. It opens almost immediately, revealing Will standing in the doorway, one hand jammed awkwardly in his jeans pocket. "Hey," He manages a grin. "Um, Chris is in the kitchen." I smile at him and Tobias puts a hand on my shoulder. "Go," he says. "I'll be here with Will." I nod and slip into the kitchen, where Christina's leaning against the counter, pouring two cups of coffee. "Coffee?" She asks, smiling at me as I walk in.

"Mmhmm." She offers me a soft smile, dropping a single sugar cube into her mug and tossing four into mine. I allow myself a smile too, at how well she knows me. Tobias always shudders at how sugary I make my coffee when he always takes his black. Well, whatever, people who drink sugary coffee are much cooler than those who take their coffee black.

"So I assume you want to know what that all was about," Christina says quietly. I nod, twisting my mug around and around in my hands, just letting her talk. Will and Tobias come into the kitchen and Christina nudges the coffee pot toward them. Will snakes an arm around her waist and she gives him a hesitant smile. Chris takes a deep breath before rushing into the next part.

"You won't tell anyone this, will you? It's technically illegal and could get Will's mom in big trouble." _Huh? _But she looks at me pleadingly and I nod. "Of course not, Chris." She dips her head. Will tightens his arm around her and begins.

"My mom, when she was going through her initiation, had a friend. Her friend, Paisley, was a Candor transfer, and my mom was Erudite-born. But Paisley didn't make the cuts, and she became factionless. But my mom didn't lose touch with her." Will swallows. "My mom snuck out to meet her, snuck what food she could out of Erudite to her. My mom's apparently been doing this my whole life." He pauses, his eyes pressed tightly shut. Christina strokes his arm, murmuring something comforting in his ear. "Less than two years ago, apparently she had a daughter. And six months ago, Paisley died. It was in the factionless sector - a rebellious and particularly dangerous flash mob. She was shot." I catch my breath, starting to make the connections.

"And... your mother..."

"Told us everything and asked Chris and I to take care of the kid," Will finishes. He runs a hand through his shaggy hair tiredly.

"Well, I guess I should ask... how old is she?" Tobias asks tentatively.

"She's about 1 1/2," Will answers, the corners of his mouth turning up slightly. "Her name's Ellie."

"Aww," I smile slightly. "Have you met her yet?"

"No," Christina grins. "She's coming within the week, probably tomorrow or the next day. Right now, she's in the custody of a lawyer from Candor. I hope she's okay... it can't be easy seeing your mother die," She says, her voice tinged with sadness and anger. I smile at her immediate protectiveness of a child she hasn't even met yet. "You're going to make a great mom, Chris," I whisper, setting down my mug and wrapping my arms around her. I can feel her smile as she hugs me back, reassurance and friendship pouring through our embrace. After a few seconds, I pull away and look her dead in the eye. "But why did you ask to move up our double wedding?"

Christina looks away, shamefaced. "I... I just never pictured having a kid - well, in this case adopting - before I got married. And if Will and I ever had a fight and it escalated to more... we're adopting this kid, right? It could end up with Ellie having a divided mother and father. And also, well, I just don't see a point in waiting, right? I love Will." She says simply, squeezing Will's hand. "I love him, and well, I can't imagine living a life without him. So we're going to get married." She looks at me, slightly ashamed. "I'm sorry. I understand if you don't want to have a double wedding. I completely understand if you don't want to make your-" She gestures to Tobias and I "Your... thing, official yet." She takes my hand with a warm smile. "Remember I love you, Tris - you're my best friend."

"I love you too, Chris." I pause. "I... I just... I don't..."

"What, Tris?" My gaze drifts down to the wedding ring on my finger, and suddenly something in my chest tightens. If I say yes, I could be married within the month. Married to Tobias for the rest of my life. The thought excites me, but there's... something else.

_Married._

The word looms up in my mind, so suddenly that I stumble back against the counter.

I could be married.

Married.

_Married._

_ MARRIED._

I can identify the feeling now.

I'm... terrified. Terrified of being tied down, terrified of marrying him then thinking I made the wrong choice, terrified of rejection. Terrified of being left. Being abandoned.

Fear. It's filling me up now, exactly like the water in my fear simulation. It pours in from the cracks and crevices in the walls I've built; a sea of emotion and terror pounding against me from every point. My hands fly to the sides of my head, pressing hard. I'm barely conscious of what I'm doing - I hit something hard and a pain flashes through my hip. And then I'm running - I fly out of Chris' apartment and into mine, ever so thankful we left the door open as I collapse onto the couch, curling up into a ball.

Pounding fee. The door bursts open and slams against the wall as Tobias runs in.

"Tris?" His eyes have a wild look in them. He approaches me on the couch, but I flail out, making him back up quickly.

"Get away!"

"Is this about the wedding?" He ventures.

"Just DON'T TALK TO ME!"

"Tris, you don't have to make a decision now. I'll wait. When we get married-"

"WHEN?" I yell, fear and anger clouding my vision. "STOP PLANNING MY LIFE FOR ME! IT'S MY LIFE TO LIVE! I CAN DO WHAT I WANT!"

"Tris, we're engaged," his voice gets slightly louder. "It's-"

"THEN I DON'T WANT TO BE ENGAGED TO YOU!" I scream, burying my head in my arms. Oh I know, I know it's wrong, but the red haze of anger is descending upon me as my right hand finds my left and I tug off the engagement ring, chucking it as hard as I can in the general direction of his voice. I hear his sharp intake of breath, then pounding footsteps as the door slams for the second time.

* * *

That night, the bed is painfully empty - no Tobias, no comforting arms to keep me safe. The tears that run down my cheeks are rivulets of rain pooling in puddles on the sheets, melancholy and filled with misery. And finally, slowly, silently - I cry myself into the welcoming arms of sleep.

**Not the best ending. Anyway, I wish I didn't have to do that… I really wish I didn't **** But it's necessary. That's all I'm going to say. Okay, I kind of really have to go now, I have somewhere to go in like 1 MINUTE, so I love all of you, R&amp;R, and see you next time!**

**~DP4L**


	44. One Obstacle After Another

**I... um... gave this chapter a sort of not cliffhanger? *embarrassed smile* That was me doing my best to defend myself. Hehehe. Anyway, the first half of this chapter... Actually well basically all of it except for the last few lines... It literally killed me to write this. I hate writing depressing stuff.**

**I love you as always. I hope you like, despite all the sad stuff.**

**Disclaimer: Did you guys know Veronica Roth writes at a treadmill desk? :O I want one of those!**

* * *

_**Tobias POV**_

_It's been three days since I've last seen her._

I'm used to waking up next to Tris every day. Seeing her first thing in the morning - it just... I don't know. I can't describe the feeling. That someone loves me, someone cares for me, and I just feel so protective towards her... like I've never felt toward anyone before. I physically can't explain the emotions that flooded through me when we were yelling at each other three nights ago. When she threw that ring at me, it felt like someone physically took hold of my heart and ripped it in two. Tris. _My _Tris.

I wonder what she's going through right now. I wonder if she misses me. No... she doesn't miss me. She said she doesn't want to be my fiancee. _Maybe... because after all, she said it in a bout of anger and rage - maybe she may still love me. _But the logical side of my mind destroys that notion immediately. She needs time to "sort things out". But where will we be once that's over? She couldn't possibly want me anymore. Tris must've finally seen the truth - I'm a coward and Marcus' son... she must've realized that she deserves someone far better than me. The scars on my back... the fact that I never stood up to Marcus... she must be disgusted. I mock myself. _Tobias, you fool. What ever made you think she could actually love you? _I don't deserve Tris. She's too good for me. I'm _Marcus' son_. I don't deserve to corrupt anyone else.

My mind takes a different direction.

"What if I had beaten her?" I whisper, horrified with the thought. I suffered a childhood of abuse. Parents are one of the biggest influences on their kids. An argument, another fight... it could've been just as easy for me to turn on her. I shudder violently at the thought of me voluntarily hurting Tris. _It's better this way_, I tell myself. _She'll be safe without you._

"Hey, man." Will's voice interrupts my thoughts. "You gonna lie there all day? You've been moping for the past three days." I sigh, running a hand through my hair. I've crashed in Will's apartment for the past three days. As far as I know, neither Tris or I have gone in to work. I can only imagine what Mat must be thinking - his new leaders come in for a day of work then disappear off the face of the Earth. He must've visited mine and Tris' apartment, but I assume he found it locked. The only person that Tris has allowed in is Christina... Chris has been doing regular checkups on her - bringing her food and making sure she's okay. Yesterday, I asked her how Tris was doing. Chris said she's doing fine. She told me to give Tris some space, some time. "She'll come around," Chris had said. "I know it. Just give her a little space. She needs to sort her mind out."

I suddenly remember Will, who is waiting patiently for my response. "Yeah, sorry I'm in your guys' apartment." I offer him an apologetic smile, but I can't help but feeling grateful to Will and Chris for being this understanding.

"Hey man, it's fine. You know you can crash here anytime," Will responds easily. He pulls up a nearby chair and plonks himself down, his eyes fixed on me. After a moment, he continues. "Four... do you want to come to the control room with me today? I mean, I know you can't go in for leader stuff, because of..." He trails off, the words hanging unspoken. _Tris. _He continues hurriedly. "I just thought that maybe it'd give you something to do, take your mind off..." He trails off again, an apologetic expression on his face. "And you worked there before too, right?" He pauses for confirmation. I give him a quick nod. "Yeah, thanks. I'd like that."

He grins. "Great. Can we leave in fifteen minutes or so? We'll catch breakfast in the control room." I remember that from before - the control room has this amazing breakfast bar. They serve chocolate muffins...

The muffins are bringing up memories of Tris again. The cute little way she nibbles her muffins... Tris... I can't think about her now. She, in essence, broke up with me. I take a deep breath, determined not to break in front of Will. Will suddenly grips my shoulder, his eyes sad. "I'm sorry, man. I bet I'd feel the same way if Chris broke it off with me. Don't worry, okay? She'll come around."

"Thanks," I respond. He exits the room, and I start making my way toward one of their bathrooms. I imagine Tris right now - her hair mussed and makeup-free but _there_... looking at me with her beautiful eyes and laughing... her adorable laugh. Tris... I've grown used to her warm, comforting presence. I miss her. I... I love her. I am completely, utterly in love with her.

_Love is so fragile..._ I realize. Our love - so strong before - has cracked. And if we don't fix this, it'll shatter.

But then my mind jumps back to the revelations of before. I was so stupid for not realizing it before. I can't be with her. It took this fight to make me see that I could _hurt _her. What's there to stop me from turning into another Marcus?

I love Tris. I always will. But she doesn't want to be with me. And as much as that hurts, I have to let her go. So she can be safe. Away from me. Living her life.

A happy life.

* * *

I'm back in the control room, the familiarity of the clicks and whirs soothing me immensely. I work alongside Will in silence - helping him calibrate security cameras and file away incoming reports from the fence. And... I know it may be invading her privacy, but I've asked Will if he could just do a check up on Tris every few hours through the security cameras installed in her room. Maybe if I can't be with her, I can watch from afar.

We pause for a lunch break. Will and I make our way down to the cafeteria, joining everyone else for hamburgers. I don't join in the conversation - well, I do, only if... Tris... is with me. I just eat in silence, watching Zeke and Uriah's antics. For once, I can't laugh along with everyone else.

Wow. When two teenage guys balancing carrots on their nosed and pretending to be Olaf doesn't make you smile, I don't know what can.

On our way back to the control room, Will looks at me, concerned. "Four, you okay?"

"Yeah. Just..." I trail off. Will seems to get it, though, and he doesn't push it. When we enter the control room, I turn to him, about to say something. He seems to understand before I say it, though, and gives me a half smile. "Yeah, yeah, I'll check on Tris."

"Thanks, man." I smile at him. One of my old coworkers motions me over, leaving Will to go check Tris' security camera by himself.

"Justin - what's up?" I ask. He shows me a report from the fence that seems to be missing government authorization. "You worked with this before, right? Quick question, um - how do I categorize this?"

"Use the IC signature and-"

"FOUR!" I turn. Will's motioning me over, an urgent tone to his voice. "Come here!"

"One sec," I tell Justin. I jog over to the security cameras. "Yeah?"

"Tris' security camera," Will whispers. A feeling of dread rises up within me.

"What... what about it?"

"Eric." That's all he has to say.

I run. I burst out of the control room, flying down the corridors and hallways, dodging Dauntless before I come to a stop in front of her apartment door. It's hanging open.

_Tris._

God, no. Her apartment is ravaged; candles shattered with the wax oozing out, knives stuck in the wall, and glass bits everywhere. My heart clenches. "Tris..." I almost slip on something behind me as I step backward.

It's a knife. Covered with blood.

Horror and fear clouds my mind as my eyes fix themselves on the knife. Please, no. No. My heart's pounding so fast it almost hurts.

Tris could be...

_Don't say it. No. Please._

_No._

Dead. I reel backward, horror and rage clouding my thoughts. Eric... He could've killed her. Tris. My precious Tris. She could've died thinking that I didn't love her, that I didn't want her.

_I shouldn't have left_.

I pound my fist into the wall, almost crying with helplessness and despair. If she's dead, she would've died thinking that I didn't care enough to come back for her.

_I should've come back_.

The realization hits me like a brick wall.

I can't live without her.

Keeping myself away from her wouldn't have worked, not in the slightest bit. I love her so, _so _much. She's my life. She's all I'm living for. Every single cheesy line about romance in books, TV shows, and Valentine's Day cards is true. Love is beautiful, but dangerously addicting.

I sink down to the floor, helpless and overcome with anguish. This can't be happening. It must be a dream. It must be.

_It has to be._

Suddenly, my foot crunches on a crumpled blue Post-It. I carefully pick it up and flatten it out on the floor. It's one of the notes I left for Tris. It was our little game - leaving notes around the house before and after work in the year between her initiation and this year's. But that's not what I'm focused on. All I care about are the words written underneath in bright red Sharpie.

"Hey - Lover Boy. If you want her, come and get her."

I've seen that handwriting often enough. But the underlying message of the note fills me with pure relief and joy.

_Tris is alive_.

And for the first time in three days, I feel the corners of my mouth curving upward as I grin to myself.

"When I find Tris, I'll let her kick his ass herself."

**Hehehe - I couldn't leave you with "Tris dies". But I hope you liked! Remember to REVIEW!11!1!1! Well, I know you were obviously going to review anyway ;) But did you lovely people know that reviewing is good for your health? ;) ;) I expect tons of reviews now :D Haha - but seriously - I hope you liked the chapter. I literally can't write depressing fanfiction... **

**Anyway, I'll see you soon! Happy "a few weeks left of school until summer break"! Yippee ka yay :D Um... sorry. That was weird. That's a cowboy thing.**

**~DauntlessProdgy4Life**


	45. A Realization

**This must be the shortest chapter in the history of short chapters. But you'll know more at the bottom. I'm not leaving you with only this for a week - XD**

**This is just a short thingie in Tris' POV because someone was asking for it.**

**Disclaimer: I really don't need to do a disclaimer for a chapter THIS SHORT, do I?**

* * *

_Tris POV_

My stupid heart won't accept it.

_Tobias won't come back for me._

That's it. He won't come back for me. _He left, didn't he? _I tell myself fiercely, determined not to cry. But there's a lump in my throat and I take in those short, quick breaths usually seen before crying.

_No. He will come back for me. He will._

_He will._

_He..._ _he won't._

The first tear slips out of my eye as the truck jolts over a bump, knocking me forward into a pile of boxes. I don't bother to move and I lie there, shaking with sob after sob. The pain from the cuts Eric made has long been numbed - insignificant in comparison with the emotional pain wracking my body. Even the circles cut into my wrists and ankles by the sharp edges of the handcuffs don't hurt anymore. I'm numbed.  
I don't know how long I lie there... it could've been minutes, hours, or even days, and I wouldn't have moved. All I know is that a soft darkness slowly begins to envelop me. I welcome the comforting arms of sleep when the truck suddenly lurches to a stop, throwing me back into the clutches of consciousness.

The back of the truck opens and I hear footsteps, before I'm scooped up how Tobias has held me so many times. But these hands are unfamiliar... they're rough. I bite my lip, determined not to cry out at the pain that racks my body when the man's hands grip my arms and legs... where... Eric...

No. No. I can't... I won't... I can't break. Otherwise I'll never get out of here.

I hear the noise of a key turning in a lock and the grating sound of metal against metal, before I'm tossed onto a stone floor and pain erupts across my body as the pain from the cuts and bruises is multiplied tenfold. My head spins. Every single part of my body is being ripped in two, and something warm and sticky trickles down my leg.

I hear someone grunt with satisfaction before saying something else. Most likely to someone else outside this prison.

"She's lost a lot of blood... she may not make it."

"It's fine," Comes a new voice. I've heard that voice before. Somewhere... but I can't place it in this state. The voice utters something again.

"She's bait, remember? We just need him."

There's only one "him" they could possibly want.

No. No. They can't have him.

They can't have him.

_I love him_.

I let out a shuddering sigh. He's not mine anymore, but I will always be his. Only his. I know he won't come. But then they're bound to find him anyway, right?

But for now, he can be safe.

He can't come.

I pray with every inch and fiber of my being, hoping that he hears me. Wherever he is.

_Tobias, don't come._

_ Don't come._

* * *

**I'm revising the next chapter right now. Technically, it was all supposed to be one long chapter... but it just didn't flow. The next chappie will be up ASAP. I'm not quite happy with it, so it may or may not be up today. I'm not very good at this kind of writing style - haha. But thank you for all your thoughts :D I'm a little behind on responding to reviews but I'll try and make it up. Anyway, if I don't update today, then definitely tomorrow :D**

**This is barely even a chapter. But I guess if you guys still want to review, I would so humongously absolutely love it :D**

**Love you guys!**

**~DP4L**


	46. Rescue

**Someone order a king-sized chapter with French fries on the side? Anyone?**

**Disclaimer: Don't own it. Need I say more?**

_Previously:_

"_She's bait, remember? We just need him."_

_ There's only one "him" they could possibly want._

_ No. No. They can't have him._

_ They can't have him._

_ I love him._

_ I let out a shuddering sigh. He's not mine anymore, but I will always be his. Only his. I know he won't come. But then they're bound to find him anyway, right?_

_ I pray with every inch and fiber of my being, hoping that he hears me, far away._

_ Tobias, don't come._

_ Don't._

_**Tobias POV**_

"Tris, we're coming for you," I murmur. I had finally come to an understanding with myself. If Tris couldn't be with me, the least I could do was find her. Though it was more for me. I just... I needed to know that she was okay.

"Okay. So, we know they took her in a truck, right?" I begin, remembering the video we uncovered. Basically, Eric had played a loop of blank footage over and over again on the security cameras, so it looked like nothing was happening. But Will picked up the slight error in the tapes and had the feeling that something looked off, so he managed to uncover the real footage that was hidden in the security cameras. Tris had been taken in one of the Amity trucks - the ones used to hold the harvested fruit and vegetables grown in the Amity fields. But this one has strange blue markings on the side - ones we could only tell were there after Will zoomed in.

"It was an Amity truck, too. I'll bet Eric doesn't want to risk that truck being seen in factions where it shouldn't be - bringing it to Dauntless was already a risk. So, it's a safe bet to assume she's in Amity, right?" Zeke nods, his expression actually serious - a rare thing. But his face held hints of disappointment. "But that means she could be anywhere there. The fields, or the compound. Trucks go through both." Uriah and Marlene's expressions mirror each other's, both downcast and discouraged.

"We found her!" A familiar chirpy voice permeates the room as a loud clicking fills my ears. "Chris?" Chris marches in, waving a few sheets of paper, while Will leans against the doorway, shaking his head. "How do you walk so fast in high heels, woman?"

"Shut up," Christina waves a hand at him, and Will sighs, though a grin is spreading over his face. "Four, we found her!"

"Tris?" I feel the faintest stirrings of hope.

"No, your mom," She says sarcastically. But then, she grins happily and tossed the papers onto the bed where we're all sitting. "Just kidding. But seriously - look!"

It's a satellite view of the Amity fields - the ones on the outskirts of Amity. The ones that can't be used for farming because they're littered with abandoned buildings and debris. But before any of us can inquire as to why Chris felt it so important to show this to us, she whips that paper away and replaces it with a zoomed in version of the same image. I can see it now. A tiny brown blob in the shape of a truck parked in front of one of the buildings. And then the third and final image is zoomed in on the truck, with those identifiable blue markings easily visible on the sides of the truck.

Zeke whoops, high fiving me and Uriah at the same time, as Marlene hugs Chris. "How'd you guys find this?" Marlene asks in wonder. Chris sighs. "I always condemned Tris' habit of sticking her phone in her boot as horrible. I always told her that if she needed something to carry her phone in she should carry a clutch or purse... or at the very least... a _cross-body handbag_." Chris shudders. "But I guess I should take that back now, seeing that it helped us find her. Eric must've not thought to check her boots for a phone."

"Wait..." I start. Something isn't making sense. "Why didn't she call us? If she had her phone, I mean."

"The battery's drained," Will speaks up, moving more into the room. "But even if phone batteries are drained, they still emit a faint signal over radio waves. So we tracked her location."

"Thank you," I say, giving them a genuine smile. "Thank you so much."

"You're welcome, Four," Chris grins. "But if we're going to find Tris, let's get moving!"

I nod and take authority. "I'm going to Amity. Anyone want to come with?" Uriah's hand flashes up immediately as does Christina's. "Great." Marlene nods at me. "The rest of us - we'll stay here. Just in case."

We just sit there a few seconds, looking at each other, before Uriah pipes up. "Well, what are we waiting for? We need to find Tris!"

I nod fervently. "Let's go!" And we move into a flurry of action. Christina, Uriah and I bolt for the armory, making it there in record time. I swipe my access card and we dart inside, each of us picking up a few knives and a handgun. In no time at all, we're driving to Amity in the convertible designated for Dauntless ambassadors, leaders, and high ranking officials. I grin slightly as Uriah mouths "Sweet car" - his mouth hanging slightly open.

We're going way over the speed limit, but I seriously don't give a damn about how fast we're going right now. Tris is in danger. Nothing else is even as close to as important as she is to me. Therefore, nothing else matters.

We're driving alongside the Amity fields on a narrow dirt path littered with rocks, when Chris and Uriah (who are studying the images intently), both yell "TURN!" I pull a hard left into the swaying golden corn, wincing as we cut a path through the field - mowing down everything in our path.

"Oops," Uriah mutters.

We're out of the main fields by now and entering the outskirts of Amity - the areas right before the fence. I watch my driving here - swerving to avoid smoking heaps of garbage, ruined buildings and sharp piles of broken glass. "There!" Chris says suddenly, fixed on a building a mere two hundred feet away. "Right there!"

I screech the car to a halt and cut the engine immediately, listening for any sound suggesting that we may have been heard. Chris and Uriah stop talking too, looking at me uncomfortably. I pause for a minute, straining my ears to catch the slightest sound that may suggest that we've been heard. Luckily, I hear is the wind whistling through the grass and the creaks of the buildings settling. After another minute of silence - to be safe, I whip around around and glare at Chris. "Could you not have told me it was so close?" I hiss. "If we hadn't been so lucky, they would've heard us and we would've been caught already. And that's brilliant for Dauntless - their two leaders being captured by a 'coward' that they exiled. Would you want that?"

"I'm sorry!" Christina snaps. "I'm not a navigator." She sighs, burying her face in her hands. "Just... sorry," she mumbles.

"I'm sorry too," I sigh, running a hand through my hair. "I guess we're all just nervous."

"Should we go?" Uriah inquires, leaping out of the car.

"Let's go find Tris." I give him a faint smile. We sprint for the building, though our smiles fade slightly as we take in the building towering before us, with broken windows, walls that look like they're about to collapse, and a teetering fire escape with the bottom part broken off - a twenty feet drop to the ground. Yikes.

There's a bulky guard at the what we soon discover is the only entrance - a small doorway behind which is only darkness. "We can take him," Uriah grins. I nod. "Distract him for me?" Christina smiles. "It would be my pleasure."

In a few seconds, everything is ready to go. Chris takes meticulous aim before firing the bullet at the wall a few inches away from the guard's head. He's startled out of his stupor and he lifts his gun, his eyes scanning the direction the bullet came from. But by then, I'm right behind him. I give him a right uppercut, before judo-flipping him onto the hard-packed dirt. "I've always wanted to try out that move," I grin.

Chris and Uriah run up, their expressions admiring. "Four's got moves!" Uriah winks. But then his expression turns serious again. "Tris."

"Right." We hold up our guns and flatten out against the wall, peeking inside one more time before entering the building.

The first few floors hold two or three guards each, making us more and more tired as we go along. But we keep going, determined to pull through for Tris. _For Tris_. This is for Tris. She's our best friend. She... _was_ my girlfriend. But we need her - she keeps us all together. This is for Tris. When we take out four guards on the fourth floor, I begin to let myself dare to hope that we might actually pull this off.. But on the fifth floor, when we encounter nine bulky guards who put up a hell of a fight - forcing us backward with every passing second - my hopes crash to the ground. I knock two out unconscious to find that Uriah and Chris have also taken two out each, but the remaining three force us back until we're against the staircase. But suddenly, I notice a staircase to my right, this one going up.

_Tris._

Uriah notices it too. "Go, Four," he pants. "We'll take care of them."

"You sure?" I pause, hesitant.

"Oh yeah," Chris nods. Her eyes fill with a furious fire I've never seen before. When she speaks, her tone is quiet, but deadly. "They hurt my best friend. When we finish with them, they will literally be begging us for mercy." And with a yell, she and Uriah engage the guards in combat once more. I dart up the stairs, wary of any other guards, but the floor seems to be relatively empty. But then, I notice the door hanging open. It's too dangerous to go up any further than this. Tris must be here.

Quietly, I chance footstep after footstep, before finally I'm in front of the door. I push it open, wincing at the guttural creak it releases into the suddenly silent air. My eyes take in the sight before me ravenously, before I stumble back in horror.

_Oh my god._

Tris lies on the cold stone floor, her eyes closed. Deep cuts crisscross her body and dark bruises are flowering across her pale, delicate skin. "No," I whisper, my legs buckling from under me. "Tris..." I'm too scared to reach out, to take her heartbeat; to do something that will either confirm or deny my suspicions.

Someone screams, long and loud, pain etched in their every syllable.

_Were we too late?_

***cries***

**I hate angsty chapters.**

**COME ON GUYS, YOU CAN SURVIVE THIS. JUST ONE MORE ANGSTY CHAPTER! The next chapter will have some angst in it, but then triumph! And Four and Tris have to work through their broken relationship... can they mend it? Remember guys - life isn't always like a fluffy fanfiction. Relationships break apart sometimes. **

**#MyWiseWordsOfWisdom ;))**

**ANYWAY I HOPE YOU LIKED**

**EVEN THOUGH IT WAS SUPER SAD**

**AND DEPRESSING**

**AND SAD**

**:(((**

**But anywayyyy, hope you liked it :) AND OMG GUYS, WE'RE SO CLOSE TO 500 REVIEWS! YAY! Please please please review – you know I don't normally ask for reviews, but I just really want to make it to five hundred :D Thank you oh so much. I'm so grateful to all of you for reading. I'll give a shoutout to the five hundredth reviewer **

**I love you! Have a wonderfullll day.**

**~DP4L**


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